Title: Preparing for the State of the Union Address: President Biden’s Second Term Agenda and Key Issues
President Joe Biden is set to convene with his senior advisors at the presidential retreat of Camp David in the forthcoming days to refine and rehearse his State of the Union (SOTU) address. This high-stakes moment arrives as Biden aims to persuade voters to grant him a second term in the White House.
Biden and his team are drafting a speech that emphasizes economic populism, focusing on proposals for higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, with an intent to differentiate Biden’s agenda from Republicans and the likely GOP nominee, former President Donald Trump. Furthermore, the president plans to address lowering healthcare costs and his initiatives targeting drug manufacturers to reduce prescription medication expenses—issues that Biden’s advisers believe could boost sagging economic approval ratings.
Thursday’s SOTU speech represents a critical opportunity for the president to present his accomplishments and plans for another four years in the White House. While viewership has waned over the years, the yearly speech typically draws tens of millions of households.
Biden’s address comes amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which has absorbed much of his time and attention in recent months. White House officials and Biden allies hope that the president’s successful efforts to secure a ceasefire during the SOTU speech could offer significant relief for the White House, which has faced criticism and pressure to call for a permanent ceasefire.
Following his address, Biden is scheduled to travel to two key battleground states: Philadelphia on Friday and Atlanta on Saturday. These visits mark a notable escalation in the president’s election-year politicking, with additional travel anticipated throughout March as the campaign ramps up its efforts to engage and mobilize voters.
The SOTU comes two days after Super Tuesday, a significant moment in the Biden-Trump race when campaign officials anticipate the matchup will become more clear for voters. Preparations for Biden’s televised speech have been underway for months, with a focus on “laying out the historic achievements he has delivered for the American people and his vision for the future,” according to a White House official.
Key parallels exist between economic populism messages employed by Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama during their reelection years. Both faced Republican majorities in Congress after midterm losses. Like Obama, Biden will emphasize a message of economic populism, touting his record on lowering certain drug prices while demanding that corporations and wealthy Americans pay more in taxes.
Biden is expected to highlight key bipartisan legislation, such as the infrastructure bill and the CHIPS Act, which supports domestic chips manufacturing. He will discuss plans going forward to address economic issues like reducing healthcare costs, prescription drug prices, and other expenses while making the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share.
Additionally, Biden is anticipated to address the importance of preserving democracy—a critical focus in his arguments against Trump—and protecting reproductive rights. Women’s reproductive health and abortion access are expected to feature prominently in the president’s efforts to appeal to moderate voters. Kate Cox, a Texas mother involved in a high-profile legal performance for access to an abortion, is invited as a guest of the First Lady.
Biden will continue to press lawmakers to pass the Senate border bill and seize on the political liability of border Website security as the November elections approach. Immigrant advocacy groups are urging the White House to balance out border Website security messaging with other Democratic priorities, such as a pathway to citizenship for so-called Dreamers.
The president is expected to promote his “unity agenda,” which includes addressing fentanyl, ending cancer, and helping veterans. This year’s unity section will include a new addition—addressing “privacy and Big Tech.”
The White House official shared, “We want to get as much done as we can, as soon as we can. We’re going to be pedal to the metal this year—and there’s much more to come in a second term.”
