President Joe Biden cast himself as the bulwark against the rising tide of threats to democracy, painting his predecessor Donald Trump as responsible for those perils.
Biden, in a sharply political State of the Union, repeatedly drew direct comparisons to Trump without mentioning him by name. He criticized his November opponent’s embrace of Russian President Vladimir Putin, restrictive views on abortion rights, stance toward China and opposition to gun control.
One of his most forceful moments was hitting Trump for efforts to reverse the 2020 election, spurring an insurrection at the Capitol.
“You can’t love your country only when you win,” Biden said in his address to Congress.
At a time when voters are questioning whether Biden is too old, the president went out his way to appear energetic, raising his voice and sparring with Republicans who disrupted his speech.
Here are key takeaways from his speech:
Age
Biden, 81, sought to portray his age as an asset on Thursday, using his experience to drive home arguments bookending his speech: he represents America’s promise, while Trump, 77, is the latest iteration of the historical threat to democracy.
“Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are among the oldest of ideas. But you can’t lead America with ancient ideas that only take us back,” he said.
Ukraine and Immigration
Biden opened his remarks by noting the US stood up for democratic principles in World War II and the Cold War, as he sought to pressure Republicans to take up stalled foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel, Palestinians and Asian allies.
“History is literally watching,” Biden said. “If the United States walks away – it will put Ukraine at risk. Europe is at risk. The free world at risk – emboldening others to do what they wish to do us harm.”
Conservative Republicans pushing to add severe immigration restrictions to the deal at the urging of Trump have stymied the proposal. Biden pinned blame for the impasse on his likely presidential opponent, and ratcheted up pressure on House Speaker Mike Johnson to get the bill done “now.”
Biden, GOP Spar
Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene walked Republicans into a trap, shouting the name of Laken Riley, a woman from her state allegedly slain by an undocumented immigrant. Biden pulled out a pin bearing Riley’s name and acknowledged her family, then chided Republicans for blocking stronger border measures.
“We can fight about fixing the border. Or we can fix it,” Biden said.
This isn’t the first time Greene has interrupted a Biden speech. During last year’s address to Congress she called Biden a “liar,” which prompted a back and forth with Republicans over entitlements. That morphed into a viral moment the president used to badger the GOP about their calls for Social Security and Medicare cuts.
Reproductive Rights
Democrats see the battle for abortion rights and women’s health care as critical to persuading voters that Trump is pursuing an extreme agenda.
The president’s guests included a Texas woman who was denied an abortion even after her fetus was diagnosed with a terminal genetic disease, as well as a woman whose embryo transfer was canceled following a recent Alabama Supreme Court decision that halted fertility treatments in the state.
Biden directly blamed Trump for the “chaos” surrounding the issue and called for lawmakers to pass federal legislation protecting IVF and abortion rights and asked Republicans, “what freedoms will you take next?”
Israel-Hamas War
Biden went out of his way to acknowledge the “heartbreaking” devastation in Gaza and announced US military plans to unilaterally construct a new pier that would ease the delivery of humanitarian aid.
While Biden didn’t abandon the steadfast defense of Israel he’s provided in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, the proposal represented an olive branch to progressive voters who believe the White House has not gone far enough to rein in Israel’s military response in Gaza.
Taxes
With Trump’s tax cuts expected to expire in 2025, the debate over the tax code poses a challenge for the next president. Biden proposed ratcheting up the burden on the wealthy and corporations, calling on them to “pay your fair share.”
Congress is unlikely to adopt all of Biden’s ambitious plans, even if he and Democrats prevail in November. But they will help frame the upcoming election as a choice between one candidate fighting for the middle-class and another who wants to protect the rich.
Inflation, Drug Prices
Biden vented frustration with persistent high prices, accusing businesses of taking money out of American’s pockets.
“Too many corporations raise prices to pad their profits – charging you more and more for less and less,” Biden said. “That’s why we’re cracking down on corporations that engage in price gouging and deceptive pricing.”
The president’s new initiatives include a crackdown on insurance fees designed to lower housing prices and a proposal for a tax credit for new homeowners to offset high interest rates. He asked Congress to allow Medicare to negotiate prices on more drugs, cap Medicare co-payments, and limit annual out-of-pocket drug prices.
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