Takeaways from Biden’s State of the Union address

When President Joe Biden took to the House Chamber yesterday Tuesday for his annual State of the Union address, his message was one of unadulterated optimism – even in the face of open hostility.

The spectacle of Biden smiling and offering a pointed riposte through multiple rounds of heckling from some House Republicans was, in many ways, an apt illustration of his presidency and a useful preview of his likely 2024 candidacy.

A majority of Americans say he hasn’t accomplished much, many Democrats aren’t thrilled at the prospect of him running for reelection and he faces clear disdain from most Republicans.

But Biden powered through. Delivering what was widely viewed as a test run for his reelection announcement, Biden claimed credit for progress made during his first two years in office while stressing the job isn’t finished.

He faced sometimes-unruly Republicans, with whom he spiritedly sparred from the podium on spending cuts. The feisty display drew cheers inside the White House and offered the best preview to date of the energy Biden hopes to bring to the campaign trail soon.

The speech carried a strain of populism rooted in strengthening the middle class – vintage Biden, but delivered at a pivotal moment for his political future.

No president enters his State of the Union wanting to recite a laundry list of accomplishments and proposals, but – almost inevitably – the speech often veers in that direction. Biden’s was no different, even as the president sought to tie everything together with a refrain of “finish the job” – a phrase that appeared 12 times in his prepared text.

Rather than tout any one accomplishment, however, Biden hoped to address the national mood, one that remains downbeat even as the economy improves and the country attempts to return to normal amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Here are the five biggest takeaways from this year’s speech.

1. Warning China against threatening US sovereignty

Biden on Tuesday warned China against threatening the US while reiterating the position that Washington is not seeking confrontation with Beijing.

2. A call for cooperation with Republican ‘friends’

The US president called on Republicans to work with him, decrying “fighting for the sake of fighting”.

3. Centring economic record and infrastructure gains

Ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, the US economy — hampered by inflation — was largely seen as an Achilles heel for Democrats.

On Tuesday, the US president made his economic record one of the focal points — if not the central message — of his speech, hailing low unemployment rates, infrastructure investments and what he described as a comeback of American manufacturing.

4. Pressing corporations to pay their ‘fair share’

Presenting an ambitious policy goal of revamping the US economy and combating the climate crisis, Biden said his agenda would be funded by “finally making the wealthiest and the biggest corporations begin to pay their fair share” in taxes.

“I’m a capitalist, but pay your fair share,” Biden said. “I think a lot of you at home agree with me … the tax system is not fair.”

5. Urging police accountability and an assault weapons ban

Saluting the parents of Tyre Nichols — a Black man who died after being beaten by police officers in Memphis, Tennessee — Biden called for reforms in policing.

“We have to do better,” Biden said. “Give law enforcement the real training they need, hold them to higher standards, help them succeed in keeping us safe.”