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Linda Feldmann
In many ways, Tuesday’s State of the Union address was business as usual. President Joe Biden made the customary assertion that “the state of the union is strong.” He crowed about accomplishments and laid out an agenda for the next two years – with his expected reelection campaign as subtext. He introduced compelling guests seated in the House gallery, including the parents of Tyre Nichols, the Black motorist who died last month after being beaten by police in Memphis, Tennessee.
President Biden also shared some light moments, as when he quipped about first lady Jill Biden’s trip to the Super Bowl on Sunday. And he expressed desire for continued bipartisanship in the new era of divided government.
But in other ways, this year’s State of the Union address was an extraordinary departure from the norm. At times, it felt like “question time” in the British Parliament, when the prime minister stands before the people’s representatives and takes a verbal drubbing. In the Washington version Tuesday night, members of Congress heckled Mr. Biden when he claimed that Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare. Memes of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, yelling “liar” at Mr. Biden are all over the internet.
Some observers decried the lack of civility. But others applauded.
“It was wild. It was unruly. It was rowdy. I loved every minute of it. And, so, apparently, did President Biden,” writes Bill Press, former chair of the California Democratic Party.
Mr. Biden, in fact, used the heckling to his advantage. In emphasizing his commitment to both social safety net programs, he was able to send a direct message – live on prime-time TV – to the millions of Americans who rely on them.
The episode also showed that Mr. Biden still has political savvy. And though some analysts found the speech “eminently forgettable,” the aftermath shows that sometimes the State of the Union address itself is only a bit player.
