Biden’s State of the Union: A Blueprint for Reelection and a Challenge to China
By More than a decade ago, the idea of Republicans heckling and jeering a president during the State of the Union address would have been unimaginable. But on Tuesday night, President Joe Biden not only had to deal with the interruptions from the Republican side, he was ready for them.[0] Biden used the heckles to his advantage, accusing “some” Republicans of plotting to sunset Social Security and Medicare, and recasting the boos as a “unanimous” endorsement.[1]
Biden also had to contend with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s repeated claims that he was a liar.[2] He countered this by saying, “I’m politely not naming them, but it’s been proposed by some individuals.”[3]
The president’s speech served as a blueprint for his opening argument in his expected run for reelection, with Biden repeatedly pledging to “finish the job” on what he dubbed a “blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America.”[4] He touted his legislative accomplishments in the past year, and called for bipartisanship, noting that he has signed more than 300 bipartisan laws since becoming president.[5] He expressed, “To my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last Congress, there is no reason we can’t work together in this new Congress,”[6]
On the issue of foreign policy, Biden reserved his splashiest remarks for China, a global power challenging the US.[7] He struck a measured tone, saying, “Make no mistake: As we made clear last week, if China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. And we did.”[7] He also focused on the idea of the U.S.’s going head-to-head with China on industry.[7] He said, “I will make no apologies that we are investing to make America stronger. Investing in American innovation, in industries that will define the future, that China intends to be dominating.”[7]
Biden also discussed capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month, a policy change that could save diabetics hundreds of dollars a month on a life-saving prescription they need every day.[8] He also provided a glimpse of hope on the issue of racial injustice, saying, “We will stand with you as long as it takes,” in response to calls for justice from communities of color.[9]
0. “5 things to know for Feb. 8: Biden, Earthquake, Spy balloon, Title 42, LeBron James” CNN, 8 Feb. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/08/us/five-things-february-8-trnd/index.html
1. “How Biden Successfully Baited Congressional Republicans” The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2023, https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/02/state-union-joe-biden-congress-republicans/672984
2. “FactChecking the State of the Union” FactCheck.org, 8 Feb. 2023, https://www.factcheck.org/2023/02/factchecking-the-state-of-the-union-4/
3. “Biden’s 2023 State of the Union: 5 winners and 2 losers” Vox.com, 8 Feb. 2023, https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2023/2/7/23590214/biden-state-of-union-2023-winners-losers
4. “Key takeaways: Biden boasts about his wins and lays out populist 2024 themes” NBC News, 8 Feb. 2023, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/key-takeaways-biden-boasts-wins-lays-populist-2024-themes-rcna68923
5. “Feisty Biden offers bipartisan vision while still triggering Republicans” The Guardian US, 8 Feb. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/08/biden-sketch-state-of-the-union-republicans
6. “GOP's raucous State of the Union shows Biden faces new opposition” Business Insider, 8 Feb. 2023, https://www.businessinsider.com/republican-state-of-the-union-marjorie-taylor-greene-biden-analysis-2023-2
7. “Biden's State of the Union address was smart on China” MSNBC, 8 Feb. 2023, https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/state-of-the-union-biden-china-rcna69575
8. “Biden Offers Bipartisan Olive Branch During State of the Union. Republicans Slap It Away.” The Daily Beast, 8 Feb. 2023, https://www.thedailybeast.com/biden-offers-bipartisan-olive-branch-during-state-of-the-union-republicans-slap-it-away
9. “Energetic and pugnacious, Biden makes his case to the nation” Yahoo News, 8 Feb. 2023, https://news.yahoo.com/energetic-and-pugnacious-biden-makes-his-case-to-the-nation-055026417.html
