Denison Forum
Dr. Jim Denison
President Biden delivered his State of the Union address Thursday night, speaking for sixty-eight minutes and repeatedly interacting with the gathered members of Congress in a way that’s been described as somewhere between “fiery” and “feisty.” Given the repeated mentions—and examples—of the president’s cognitive decline over the course of his time in office, I was left both impressed and a bit surprised by the consistency with which he delivered the speech.
In the moments leading up to the address, journalists repeatedly noted that Biden’s delivery was going to be just as important as what he said. But the content still matters. To that end, the president addressed:
- Threats to freedom and democracy, both internationally and at home
- Access to IVF and abortion, with the promise to restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land if the American people send him a Congress that will pass the legislation
- Working to put a ceiling on drug prices and medical care
- Economic issues like the housing market, inflation, and tax hikes on big corporations and the wealthy
- Education-related topics like universal preschool and raises for public school teachers
- Issues at the border, with much of the blame pointed at Republicans who failed to pass the legislation put forth earlier this year
- The war in Israel, which included a clear message of the evils perpetrated by Hamas and the responsibility they bear for the war’s continuation, as well as a call for Israel to do more to protect civilians in Gaza