What to Watch in Biden’s State of the Union Address

Vice President Kamala Harris applauds as President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 7, 2023. Jacquelyn Martin/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

President Joe Biden will deliver his third State of the Union address on March 7, using the opportunity to allay concerns about his age and persuade Americans that he can serve a second term as the country barrels toward a high-stakes election in November.

Viewers will mostly be evaluating President Biden based on his performance, not just his message. Is he making mistakes? Will there be any verbal blunders? Is he appearing energetic and in control? How will he confront hecklers? His actions will be carefully monitored. Hence, it will be a crucial address for the 46th president as he works to restore public trust in his age and mental acuity.

“It’s going to be an incredibly important moment, and the president takes that very, very seriously,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on March 6.

Here’s what to look for during the State of the Union address.

Age Message

As President Biden prepares to officially secure his party’s candidacy, an increasing number of his supporters have expressed worries about his age and energy.

Historian Jon Meacham, who assisted the president in crafting his speech this year, believes that the president needs to address concerns surrounding his age during the State of the Union.

“Of course, they’re legitimate concerns,” he told CNN in a recent interview.

“I understand that you can’t tell half the country that they’re just wrong to worry about something. So, he’s got to show us and not just tell us. I’ve talked to him, and I’ve never had any doubts about his capacity. But why would you believe me? So he’s got to show us.”

A New York Times/Siena College poll released last week showed that 61 percent of respondents believe President Biden is “just too old” to be an effective president. The poll was conducted two weeks after a special counsel raised concerns about his mental sharpness and characterized him in a report as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

Another poll by Bloomberg News/Morning Consult found that President Biden trails former President Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner, in a hypothetical general election in all swing states, including Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, and Wisconsin. Many respondents expressed concerns about President Biden’s age.

New Announcements

The State of the Union is a moment for presidents to list their achievements and rally support for their future goals.

During the address, President Biden is expected to tout his achievements over the past three years, including legislative victories such as the Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. He is also expected to list his policies to lower drug prices and protect access to abortion.

The president will “talk about his vision for the American people,” according to Ms. Jean-Pierre.

He’s an optimistic guy,” she said.

The president is expected to cover a variety of topics, with many observers eagerly anticipating new policy proposals during his speech. His supporters will be paying close attention to his stance on border security and the situation in Gaza. Many voters have expressed concerns about his handling of those two significant issues.

New Face

President Biden is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union address on March 7, beginning at 9 p.m. Washington time. During the address, members from both the House and the Senate convene in the House chamber, accompanied by the speaker of the House and the vice president, who is the president of the Senate under the Constitution.

On the dais, a raised platform directly behind where the president speaks, the speaker and the vice president will sit. Viewers will observe a new face standing behind the president as he delivers his speech this year. In October 2023, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) assumed the role of House speaker following the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

Observers will closely monitor the speaker’s facial expressions and interactions with the president during the speech.

According to the White House, President Biden worked last weekend with his senior team at Camp David to fine-tune his speech. People who were involved in helping the president were Bruce Reed, White House deputy chief of staff; Anita Dunn, his top communications adviser; Steve Ricchetti, his counselor; and Vinay Reddy, his speechwriter.

The president will continue to fine-tune his speech throughout the day before delivering it, Ms. Jean-Pierre said.

“This is something that he is personally involved in,” she said.