Intro
President Biden entered the House of Representatives chamber on March 7 ready to speak to the country. He captivated his audience and said, “History is watching.” President Biden’s speech was highly anticipated. The American people were either looking for a fantastic speech that bolstered the argument to re-elect him or hoping that he delivered a lackluster speech that painted him as inadequate to be president for another term. In his State of The Union speech, not only did President Biden fortify democratic voter’s faith in his abilities, but he also increased the polarization within the United States.
As President Biden walked down the aisle, he shook hands, engaged in small talk, gave courteous kisses on the cheek, and slowly made his way to the podium. His introductions continued as normal until President Biden encountered Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG), United States Representative of Georgia’s 14th district. Greene was wearing a “Make America Great Again – Trump 2020” hat, red jacket, “Say Her Name” shirt and multiple pins, one of which read “Biden Border Crisis.” Greene began repeating “Say her name” to President Biden as she handed him a pin that said “Laken Riley” and “Say her name.” “Say her name” is a controversial phrase used by those opposed to Biden’s open border policy after Laken Riley was murdered by an illegal immigrant. The man next to Greene handed Biden a pin that said “Biden Border Crisis,” which Biden accepted.
Opening
President Biden began by trying to rally the American people. He stated, “Not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy been under assault at home as they are today.” The sentence was rather dramatic, comparing now to a time when the United States was physically divided. Biden used the fear of jeopardized democracy to promote action within his people, a strategy similar to one used by Donald Trump during his presidency and after the election when he promoted an insurrection.
Russian and Ukrainian War
The first issue Biden discussed was the war between Russia and Ukraine. He said,“Ukraine can stop Putin, if we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons they need to defend itself…. There are no American soldiers at war in Ukraine, and I’m determined to keep it that way.” Biden received a standing ovation in response to his comment. By beginning with an issue as controversial as the war between Ukraine and Russia, Biden proved that he was not afraid to tackle difficult topics and take a firm stance. The Ukrainian and Russian War has defined Biden’s presidency; avoiding taking a stance on it publicly could have been detrimental to his position in the 2024 presidential election.
Following his comment on the war, Biden wasted no time to insult former President Donald Trump, further increasing tensions. “Now, now, my predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, quote, ‘Do whatever the hell you want.’ …I think it’s outrageous, it’s dangerous, and it’s unacceptable.” Biden followed this punchy outline throughout his speech – taking a stance on an issue followed by a stab at the former president.
With each sentence, he left a (metaphorical) mark, an example being his statement directed to Putin. Biden stated, “We will not walk away. We will not bow down. I will not bow down.” With this statement, Biden appealed to Americans’ sense of nationalism.
Insurrection
After appealing to Americans, Biden once again mentioned Trump when he discussed the January 6th insurrection. He stated that the insurrectionists were not patriots, and that day they “placed a dagger to the throat of American democracy.” Though he may have angered a larger group of people with this comment, he was perhaps attempting to appear as strongly opinionated rather than allowing himself to appear a wavering doormat.
Reproductive Rights
The President then tackled the controversial issue of reproductive rights. After telling the story of a woman from Alabama who was denied IVF treatment, he stated that he was in support of in vitro fertilization. He told another story of a woman who had to leave her state to receive an abortion she needed for health reasons. He commented on the overturning of Roe v. Wade and empowered the American people: “If you, the American people, send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, I promise you, I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again.” Once again, Biden tried to remind the people that they have the ability to make change in their country through him.
Healthcare
Then, President Biden discussed Big Pharma and healthcare. He discussed how with a new law he beat Big Pharma without help from any “Republican Buddies.” He also discussed Medicare negotiating lower prices for costly drugs. Essentially, he said that he is making progress for every American and trying to make everyone’s needs more attainable.
Taxes
President Biden began tackling another controversial issue in the United States: taxes. Biden said, “Look, I’m a capitalist. If you want to make, you can make a million or millions of bucks, that’s great. Just pay your fair share in taxes.” Biden made two large statements regarding to taxes. First, during his presidency he made it mandatory for “big companies” to pay a tax of 15 percent. His more controversial statement concerned those who are more fortunate. Biden proposed “a minimum tax for billionaires of 25 percent, just 25 percent. You know what that would raise? That would raise $500 billion over the next ten years.” This suggestion earned mixed results from the crowd and less standing ovations than some of his other comments.
“Biden Border Crisis”
Finally, President Biden began to discuss issues around the border. He suggested a bipartisan deal that “would hire 1,500 more security agents and officers, 100 more immigration judges to help tackle the backload of two million cases, 4,300 more asylum officers and new policies so they can resolve cases in six months[.]” He also discussed how “[o]ne hundred more high-tech drug detection machines [would] significantly increase the ability to screen and stop vehicles smuggling fentanyl into America that’s killing thousands of children.” People were intently listening to the President unveil his plan when Marjorie Taylor Greene interrupted him by loudly saying “Say her name” among other comments. This was a separate moment from her comments earlier in the evening. The room responded to her with a chorus of boos.
Biden, however, went off script to handle the situation. He held up the pin given to him by MTG and expressed his condolences to her family.
He continued to explain how with his bill, it is less likely that people will try to cross the border illegally. He stated that with an increase in border control (as a result of his bill), illegal immigrants are more likely to get caught within a six- week period rather than the current 6-8 years. His thinking is that people who are willing to smuggle drugs to get across the border will be deterred by the fact that they get less time in the United States. President Biden then gave immigrants the humanity taken from them by the media: “”I will not demonize immigrants saying they are ‘poison in the blood of our country.’ I will not separate families. I will not ban people because of their faith.”’
Book Banning and Transgender Rights
Later in his speech, President Biden commented on a topic close to home at St. Luke’s: the fight against book banning. President Biden said, “Stop, stop denying another core value of America: our diversity across American life. Banning books — it’s wrong! Instead of erasing history, let’s make history. I want to protect fundamental rights.” He then said that he had transgender authors’ backs. Within this topic stems controversy stemming from religion, sexual orientation, and more.
Gun Violence
Biden’s penultimate topic of discussion was gun violence. He summarized the heart-wrenching story of the school shooting at Uvalde, Texas. Supported by his Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden established the first-ever Office of Gun Violence and Prevention in the White House. President Biden said, “We now must beat the N.R.A. again. I’m demanding a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Pass universal background checks.” He received significant applause for this comment despite the controversial nature of gun control.
Conclusion
Biden finished his speech with a series of endearing and encouraging comments about the future of the United States. In an effort to unify the country that has been starkly divided for years, he stated, “There is nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we act together.”
Biden’s speech painted him as snappy and with the times. He was opinionated and spunky, adding in jokes every couple of paragraphs. He tackled the important issues and made sure to promote himself for the upcoming election. He took a strong stance on controversial topics that have divided the country. However, despite his jokes and sass, President Biden still managed to further divide the American people – ironic considering his last line was about acting together.
