Biden Outlines Successful Economic Accomplishments in State of the Union Address
“I want to speak to the American people and update them on the state of affairs,” President Biden said Monday
US President Joe Biden is expected to tout his administration’s economic record when he delivers an upbeat State of the Union address on Tuesday.
He will address a full, politically divided Congress and plead for his leadership in the primetime speech.
It is seen as a blueprint for a possible re-election in 2024, which he is expected to announce soon.
But it comes as Mr Biden’s public approval rating hovers near the lowest level of his presidency.
He is likely to outline his government’s achievements and agenda over the past year, focusing on recent strong employment numbers and falling inflation.
Mr. Biden, 80, will deliver the hour-long address to a packed House of Representatives chamber of high-profile guests and nearly every senior member of government. He will cover a range of topics including the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and police reform following the death of Tire Nichols in Memphis last month.
He will also urge Republicans, who have a new majority in the House of Representatives, to raise taxes on the wealthy and increase welfare.
Republican Kevin McCarthy, who leads the party in the chamber, reportedly urged his colleagues to behave themselves during the address. The “cameras are on” and the “microphones are hot,” he warned during a closed-door meeting.
Mr. Biden will address a large television audience at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time (02:00 GMT). “I want to speak to the American people and let them know how things are,” he said Monday. “Just talk to the American people.”
“This is a president who is incredibly optimistic,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
But the speech was complicated by escalating tensions with China over the weekend’s launch of a suspected surveillance balloon. Mr. Biden was criticized by Republicans for not ordering the object’s destruction sooner.
A new poll by US BBC affiliate CBS found that 39% of Americans approve of the government’s overall China policy.
Another recent Associated Press poll found that just a quarter of American adults feel the country is going in the right direction, with many raising concerns about the state of the economy.
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The president is also facing questions about his ability to serve a second presidential term, which would end when he was 86. The classified documents found on two of his Delaware properties have also drawn criticism.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the country’s youngest governor, will deliver the Republican response to the address. She is best known for her tenure as press secretary for former President Donald Trump from 2017-19.
The refutation often comes from young rising stars in the opposition party, and often from outside Washington.
Senior aides to Ms Sanders – who took the oath of office to become Arkansas governor four weeks ago – said she will set out her priorities for the state and discuss southern border issues.
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