Energized Biden strikes familiar themes in State of the Union speech

Addressing a divided Congress for the first time, President Joe Biden painted an optimistic picture of this politically riven country. Presenting a smiling and energetic demeanor, he sought to dispel the widespread concerns that he had “aged out.”

During this term, Biden has rarely spoken at length in public and has conducted only six press conferences, so the State of the Union was an especially important opportunity for the president to present a vigorous figure to the nation. In this, he succeeded, especially in his quick and deft responses to Republican interruptions.

Vintage Biden
The substance of the speech has been described as “vintage Biden”—that is, overt empathy for those who feel “left behind,” old saws from his father, lessons about fairness and the dignity of work learned at the kitchen table, and a list of accomplishments aimed at the middle class. Interestingly, Biden gave as much emphasis to the historic legislation enacted in the past two years as he did to consumer complaints—unreliable airlines, predatory tech companies, and unpredictable fees at banks and hotels. There’s no doubt these issues actually resonate with him as he hopes they do with the electorate.