Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
US PRESIDENT JOE Biden gave his annual State of the Union address last night in what was his final guaranteed SOTU in his fourth year as president, but that he will hope will not be his last as he vies for re-election in November.
Biden spoke for more than an hour in a speech that was largely absent of any of the stumblings that eagle-eyed Donald Trump supporters would be keen to use as ammunition against the incumbent.
Remarks on humanitarian aid for Gaza were welcomed by Democrats present in the House of Congress, but, in a speech peppered with support for Israel, may not have gone far enough to draw disillusioned members of the party back to Biden.
Welcomed by applause, Biden started his speech: “Good evening. If I was smart, I’d go home now.”
From the outset of the address, Biden was quick to launch an attack on opponent Donald Trump.
“In January 1941, Franklin Roosevelt came to this chamber to speak to the nation and he said, ‘I address you in a moment unprecedented in the history of the union’,” Biden said. “Freedom and democracy were under assault in the world. Tonight, I come to the same chamber to address the nation. Now it’s we who face an unprecedented moment in the history of the Union.”
“We’re under attack both at home and overseas at the very same time. Overseas, Putin of Russia is on the march, invading Ukraine and sowing chaos throughout Europe and beyond. If anybody in this room thinks Putin will stop at Ukraine, I assure you he will not.
“It wasn’t long ago when a Republican president named Ronald Reagan thundered Mr Gorbachev, ‘tear down this wall’. Now, my predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, quote, ‘do whatever the hell you want’,” Biden said, referencing comments Trump made about whether or not he would defend Nato allies.
“A former president actually said that, bowing down to a Russian leader. I think it’s outrageous. It’s dangerous and it’s unacceptable.”
The most significant new information to come from the address was that the US military intends to establish a port off Gaza to deliver aid.
“Tonight, I’m directing the US military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments carrying food, water medicine and temporary shelters,” Biden said.
He said that “a temporary pier will enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting in Gaza”.
The operation will be led by the US military but will not put US troops on the ground in Gaza, he said.
Biden reiterated his stance in support of Israel and condemned Hamas’ attacks on 7 October, but said the number of Palestinians killed and suffering in Gaza is “heartbreaking”.
In the wake of the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022, and a more recent court decision in Alabama that has majorly disrupted access to IVF, Biden said reproductive freedoms will be a key issue in the November election.
As is customary, First Lady Dr Jill Biden invited a number of guests to join her to to watch the address, two of whom are involved in campaigning for reproductive rights.
Biden made reference to their stories. One guest was Kate Cox, a mother from Texas who sued last year for the right to an abortion but was forced to travel out of the state for an emergency termination of her nonviable pregnancy.
Another was Latorya Beasley, a mother from Alabama who was trying to have a second child with IVF but was suddenly forced to stop the process when the state’s Supreme Court ruled last month that frozen embryos should be considered children.
“Look at the chaos that has resulted [from the overturning of Roe v Wade],” Biden said.
Biden called the state of the US economy the “greatest comeback story never told”.
“I inherited an economy that was on the brink,” he said, adding that he believed it was now “the envy of the world”.
He outlined investments in American industries – adding in a swipe at Trump for, he said, failing to buy American.
Additional reporting by Sadbh Cox and AFP
What a way to be remembered , an enabler of genocide who could put an end to the starvation of 2,000,000 people witha phone call, but doesn’t
@Jimmy Wallace: more than 100 US cargo planes of weapons have landed in Israel. All of this is on Biden. Three votes on a ceasefire scuppered by the US admin to protect Israel. The US is as guilty as Israel is in the deaths.
@Jimmy Wallace: “Hey Bibi, Joe here. You’ve 24 hours to open the gates to aid unrestricted. If you don’t Israel will not receive another bullet, cent or spare part for your F-16s from America or any of it’s allies.”
@John Ennis: US to build port off Gaza for emergency aid, Biden announces!
Who is going to handle distribution? I think the Gazans have enough on their plate without putting that on it too don’t you?
The next and most effective thing Biden could do is a force build-up of epic proportions in the area followed by American Marine’s boots in Gaza telling every Israeli they meet that it’s time to go home now or face the consequences in the pipe-line should it become necessary!
Cutting off the weapons supply to Israel would be a cost effective immediate interim measure too tbf!
America could get back off the fence anytime now in my book, yes Europe needs to get on a war footing for it’s own future potential safety but the U.S. needs to open the weapons tap for Ukraine too before this all spins out of everyone’s control as it nearly already has if not actually.
With all the gazillions spent over the years America offered itself as the world’s policeman, guaranteeing freedom of navigation and was supposed to be able to fight two wars at the same time. WTF happened to that?
I guess it doesn’t matter, once the orange little boy brain gets back into office, it all goes to shit for sure which is why gold and bitcoin spiked after the supreme (?) court dropped that Trump was fine to march on to power again.
Things are bleak, thinking otherwise is either foolish, foolhardy or plain old fkn stupidity. Don’t look up!
I never saw that many Democrats dressed in white, since back in the day when they had Klan members in Congress.
Great to see him come out fighting on reproductive rights, it’s going to be a huge factor driving voter turnout in November.
I love the way the camera turned to the Supreme Court who made a desperately unpopular, politically motivated decision to cause pain and suffering for many women in red states.
I loved watching Mike Johnson squirm as if he was worrying that his son might be on the wrong websites at a time when he couldn’t be seen tracking him.
@Seamus Enright: Biggest creep yet. I bet that son is going to be an absolute tear-away when he’s older.
@Louis Jacob: Wouldn’t surprise me. On the other hand, isn’t that MTG a class act? If only the Dems had women with her erudition, articulacy and pleasant manner.
@Seamus Enright: Yep.
MTG is Klass.
With a capital K.
The so called reproductive rights means abortion until birth for no reason. Sleepy Joe is a hypocrite and a pretend Catholic,the worst American President in history.
@Wiliam Hennessy: Nobody has ever advocated for “abortion up until birth for no reason”. Back under your rock.
Ireland are not winning the Eurovision this year.
@Gary Mullen: I don’t know. Do you remember that old kit kat ad? You cant sing, you can’t dance, you look awful. You’ll go a long way!
@Gary Mullen: The video is well done, comical, and entertaining, but the music and message are questionable.
@Jimmy Wallace: a waste of a bet it’s not going to win.
@Paul Somers: she can sing, and the song is okay but the concept is not original, it’s not Ireland. For that reason it will not win
I’d love to see Creepy Joe’s Ritalin and Adderall bill!
Poor guy is forced out there on stage without a clue!
@Paul: Don’t follow the news Paul? Bad subject for Tiny’s apilogists this week. Hilarious stuff.
@Bobby Digital: apilogist is what Ronny Jackson could actually be described as!
How anyone picks the whinging lying treacherous sex offender fraud, ahead of president Joe is astonishing
By far the worst SOU address in history. Reminded me of Howard Dean. Shouting for an hour. Long on stories, short on facts. Just look at what was reported above under the economy. That’s not an economic report.
@Oh Mammy: Awww!
Poor old ‘Sleepy Joe’ demolished the GOP and their propaganda.
And did so easily.
For once the US electorate got to see Joe without the filters and cutouts presented to them by US billionaire and corporate owned media.
@Oh Mammy: it was a strong performance imo
That is why Tiny the proven rap ist will never debate Joe Biden ahead of the election. There will always be some excuse delivered in his usual whiny style. Tiny knows he would be humiliated but the cult will lap up the excuses.
@Bobby Digital: Trump asked hin for a debate yesterday. He said any time, any place , any where, to be exact.
@Oh Mammy: Trump says a lot of things.
How many have ever been truthful?
That ‘temporary’ port in Gaza needs to be made permanent, so that the Israelis can no longer control the food, medicines, and other items the Palestinians need.
Good performance from Biden.
Which big pharma donated the anabolic steroid?
have your say