President Joe Biden is scheduled to stand before the country during his final State of the Union address.
On Mar. 7, the presumptive Democratic nominee will promote his vision for a potential second term, address any voters questioning if he’s up for the job as the nation’s oldest president, and warn about the dangers Donald Trump may bring if he’s elected.
After working on his speech at the Camp David presidential retreat with his closest aides and presidential historian Jon Meacham, Biden’s overall goal is to push the achievements made since January 2021, including reaching new heights in infrastructure and manufacturing. Through a partnership with Nokia, their push for high-speed internet nationwide has created 200 new manufacturing jobs in Wisconsin.
By signing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law, bridges and roads will be rebuilt as a focus on connecting historically segregated Black and brown communities
. Biden’s speech will also cover controversial issues like abortion access and tax policy, hoping to win Republicans over as he believes specific GOP-led policies aren’t in alignment with the country.This will be the first speech that new House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) will attend since former speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted in late 2023. Johnson is reportedly holding his party colleagues on a tight leash following the behavior shown in the past.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was seen heckling Biden during his February 2023 address and booing him numerous times. This year, Johnson said, “Decorum is the order of the day.”
As a pivotal night on the White House calendar, the State of the Union address is credited for giving the president a direct line to grab the attention of House chamber attendees and millions of voters watching at home. Former speechwriter in the Clinton White House, Michael Waldman, says the speech may not be important to everyone, but everyone should pay attention to it. “You always hear people say, ‘Oh, the speech has lost its relevance. Just send a PDF of it. It should be a video.’ That’s just such nonsense,” Waldman said.
“It may not be as big as Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl, but it’s a big audience for a political speech.”
Maybe some key topics and guests will grab everyone’s attention. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) will bring Dr. Lisa Green, a physician and Black maternal health expert, as her guest. As co-author of the CARE for Moms Act, a comprehensive solution to the maternal mortality crisis, Kelly said she is excited for Dr. Green to tell her story.
“Dr. Green has seen first-hand how policies like Medicaid postpartum extension have transformed lives in Illinois,” the lawmaker said. “I look forward to bringing her story to our nation’s Capital and fighting for community physicians to get the resources they need.”
Following the announcement of his support of Israel, Biden is scheduled to announce the development of a temporary port on the Gaza coast to increase aid for the devastated territory amid the Israel-Hamas war.