In the coming days, President Joe Biden is set to meet with his senior advisers at Camp David to fine-tune his State of the Union address. This speech is of paramount importance as he seeks to persuade voters to grant him a second term in the White House.
The President and his team are crafting a speech that emphasizes economic populism, with a focus on increasing taxes on corporations and the wealthy. This is seen as an attempt to distinguish his policies from those of the Republicans and their probable presidential nominee, Donald Trump.
Biden will also advocate for reducing health care costs and discuss his initiatives to lower the price of prescription drugs. These are issues his advisers believe can help improve his economic approval ratings.
The State of the Union address could potentially be Biden’s largest television audience before the November vote, depending on whether he and Trump agree to the traditional three debates. This makes the annual address one of the most critical moments of his presidency.
The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict also casts a shadow over Biden’s primetime address. His national security advisers have been working tirelessly to finalize a ceasefire-hostages release deal by Ramadan, the Muslim holy month that begins next weekend. If Biden can announce a successful cessation of fighting in his State of the Union speech, it could provide significant relief for the White House, which has faced increasing criticism and pressure to call for a permanent ceasefire.
Following the speech, the President plans to visit two key battleground states, Philadelphia and Atlanta. Biden has yet to seriously ramp up his election year campaigning with large rallies, making the post-speech swing notable.
This year’s State of the Union comes two days after Super Tuesday, a moment when campaign officials believe the Biden vs. Trump race will come into clearer focus for voters. In addition to travel, the campaign is planning to use the month of March to ramp up its efforts to organize and mobilize voters.
Preparations for Biden’s televised speech have been underway for months as his team looks to “lay out the historic achievements he has delivered on for the American people and his vision for the future,” a White House official said.
The president is also expected to discuss the need to preserve democracy – a key focal point of his arguments against Trump – and protect reproductive rights, which campaign officials believe will serve as a motivating factor for voters in November.
Behind the scenes, immigrant advocacy groups anxious that border security will drown out other immigrant rights issues are pushing the White House to balance out Biden’s messaging with other Democratic priorities like a pathway to citizenship for so-called Dreamers.
The president is also expected to promote his so-called unity agenda, a hallmark of his previous addresses to Congress that includes curbing fentanyl, ending cancer and helping veterans. But this year’s unity section is expected to have a new add – addressing “privacy and Big Tech,” aides said.
“We want to get as much done as we can, as soon as we can,” a White House official said. “We’re going to be pedal to the metal this year – and there’s much more to come in a second term.”