Joe Biden did not shy away from the fight; he seemed to relish it. His robust and intensely political performance was nothing less than a declaration from the 80-year-old that, despite age and misgivings in his party, he will be running again for the US presidency in 2024. And looking forward to the campaign, he would be no pushover, he seemed to say. His formal announcement is expected within months.
In the annual State of the Union address to both houses of Congress, Biden engaged enthusiastically in knock-about exchanges with Republican hecklers who broke with the occasion’s respectful tradition, shouting abuse to the evident distress of longer-serving colleagues. If it was the US president’s intention to provoke and expose the more extreme elements of the Republicans now controlling the House, then he succeeded.
Biden repeatedly stressed that he wants to work with the new majority. “To my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last Congress, there’s no reason we can’t work together and find consensus on important things in this Congress as well,” he urged.
He reminded voters, who polls show are unwilling to acknowledge his record, that with the Democrats in control of both chambers and the presidency, the last two years have seen 362 laws passed. These included landmarks such as a $1.9 trillion Covid relief Bill, a $1.2 trillion infrastructure Bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, a $52 billion boost to domestic chip manufacturing, a law codifying same-sex marriage rights, a suite of workplace sexual harassment reforms, billions of dollars in emergency aid to Ukraine and more.
He was able to tout recent economic gains, including falling inflation and strong job growth.
“Let’s finish the job. There’s more to do,” he repeated a dozen times, stressing gains on the economy, infrastructure, social programmes and consumer rights. If it was not done, the Republicans would be to blame. He chided them for proposing cuts in pension entitlements, and when they noisily demurred , he gleefully switched tack, applauding the unanimity that he said was now manifest. “I’m glad to see no, I tell you, I enjoy conversion,” he responded.
Introducing the parents of Tyre Nichols, the man beaten to death by five Memphis police officers, Biden implored lawmakers to overhaul policing. “Do something,” he said. “Do something.”
Foreign policy, support for Ukraine excepted, barely got a mention.
Biden walked into his speech facing low approval ratings, hovering around 42 per cent after a dip into the mid-30s over the summer. That is among the lowest second-year ratings of any modern president. But in staking his claim to a second term – with the theme of a job unfinished – a combative Biden showed he will take some beating. Joe Biden did not shy away from the fight; he seemed to relish it. His robust and intensely political performance was nothing less than a declaration from the 80-year-old that, despite age and misgivings in his party, he will be running again for the US presidency in 2024. And looking forward to the campaign, he would be no pushover, he seemed to say. His formal announcement is expected within months.
In the annual State of the Union address to both houses of Congress, Biden engaged enthusiastically in knock-about exchanges with Republican hecklers who broke with the occasion’s respectful tradition, shouting abuse to the evident distress of longer-serving colleagues. If it was the US president’s intention to provoke and expose the more extreme elements of the Republicans now controlling the House, then he succeeded.
Biden repeatedly stressed that he wants to work with the new majority. “To my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last Congress, there’s no reason we can’t work together and find consensus on important things in this Congress as well,” he urged.
He reminded voters, who polls show are unwilling to acknowledge his record, that with the Democrats in control of both chambers and the presidency, the last two years have seen 362 laws passed. These included landmarks such as a $1.9 trillion Covid relief Bill, a $1.2 trillion infrastructure Bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, a $52 billion boost to domestic chip manufacturing, a law codifying same-sex marriage rights, a suite of workplace sexual harassment reforms, billions of dollars in emergency aid to Ukraine and more.
He was able to tout recent economic gains, including falling inflation and strong job growth.
“Let’s finish the job. There’s more to do,” he repeated a dozen times, stressing gains on the economy, infrastructure, social programmes and consumer rights. If it was not done, the Republicans would be to blame. He chided them for proposing cuts in pension entitlements, and when they noisily demurred , he gleefully switched tack, applauding the unanimity that he said was now manifest. “I’m glad to see no, I tell you, I enjoy conversion,” he responded.
Introducing the parents of Tyre Nichols, the man beaten to death by five Memphis police officers, Biden implored lawmakers to overhaul policing. “Do something,” he said. “Do something.”
Foreign policy, support for Ukraine excepted, barely got a mention.
Biden walked into his speech facing low approval ratings, hovering around 42 per cent after a dip into the mid-30s over the summer. That is among the lowest second-year ratings of any modern president. But in staking his claim to a second term – with the theme of a job unfinished – a combative Biden showed he will take some beating.