WASHINGTON, D.C. – In just a couple of hours, the President will give his State of the Union address. He’s expected to talk about issues important to Americans, like the economy, security and coming together as a nation.
This is the last State of the Union for Biden’s first term. Experts said this will be Biden’s moment to be the so-called “Explainer in Chief”. They said he needs to talk about major pieces of legislation he got passed in the first two years, like passing that bipartisan infrastructure bill, which impacts communities across the country, including the upper peninsula.
Biden lost a lot of support from many progressives who were undeclared in the recent Michigan primary election. Experts say a big reason for that is his handling of the Israel-Hammas conflict. Senior administration officials confirmed with WZMQ 19 News that Biden will announce tonight his plans to open a port to deliver aid to Gaza.
Experts say Biden needs to do all he can to bring his party together.
“The uncommitted delegate voters in Michigan, where a substantial portion or about two thirds of the margin that gave Joe Biden that state in 2020. So, he needs to win them back and needs to re-energize them,” said Dr. Todd Belt, Professor and Director of the Political Management Master’s Program at George Washington University. “Israel and Hamas is a very difficult one for him because he’s been a big supporter of Israel and has been criticized for being so. But at the same time, the Democratic Party is fracturing over this issue, and he needs to do what he can to unify it,” he added.
This is not supposed to be a campaign speech but rather an update to congress and the American people on Biden’s plans for our country. Going into tonight, there is a lot of energy at the Capitol. People are eager to hear from the President but something experts are looking out for is Biden’s delivery. His age and competency are major factors.
Experts said this is not necessarily a make-or-break speech but that it could potentially be a break speech because a lot of people are going to be watching to see if President Biden has any slip ups. The age issue is a big one and a lot of people will be watching for a “gotcha” moment.
WZMQ 19 News at 11:00 will have reaction from local lawmakers following tonight’s State of the Union.
