On Politics

Thu Mar 7 2024

Sudiksha Kochi | Congress, Campaigns and Democracy Reporter

@KochiSudiksha

Hey OnPolitics readers! President Joe Biden faces a pivotal State of the Union address Thursday as he looks to silence skeptics about his ability to keep serving, convince restless Americans of a strong economy and reestablish the stakes of a likely rematch against former President Donald Trump.

And stirring anxieties among Democrats: Trump leads Biden in most polls nationally and in battleground states that will decide the election, USA TODAY's Joey Garrison reports.

Here are some things to watch out for in tonight's address:

🔴 Speech to set general tone for election against Trump: Biden will make protecting American democracy and restoring women's reproductive rights major themes of his remarks, according to the White House. Biden has blamed Trump's three Supreme Court nominees for overturning Roe v. Wade's constitutional right to an abortion and cast Trump, who tried to overturn the 2020 election, as a continued threat to democracy.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

🤝 Biden looks to unite frayed Democratic coalition: To win in November, Biden must unite a fraying Democratic coalition, with polling showing softening support from core constituencies such as Black, Latino and young voters.

🎤Silencing concerns about age: Biden's first order of businesses is much more fundamental: convincing a public wary of his age that he's up for the job for another four years. Concerns about Biden's octogenarian status were amplified last month after a report from Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Hur into Biden's handling of classified documents portrayed him as "a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."