Biden delivers optimistic State of the Union to launch reelection bid: ‘The greatest comeback story never told’

Gimme four more years, America!

An energized President Joe Biden used his State of the Union address Thursday to launch his reelection bid by delivering an optimistic vision of the nation, stark warnings about former President Donald Trump, and a pledge to restore abortion across the country.

“The state of the union is strong and getting stronger,” Biden declared as Democrats chanted “four more years.”

“I came to office determined to get us through one of the toughest periods in our nation’s history. And we have,” Biden told the joint session of Congress.

“It doesn’t make the news, but in thousands of cities and towns the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told,” Biden said.

Biden, who is 81 and the oldest president in history, also came out swinging to energetically defend his record and rebut widely held concerns about his advanced age.

He highlighted Democratic support for abortion rights, an issue that has hurt Republicans since the conservative-dominated Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

“They will find out again in 2024,” Biden said. “If Americans send me a Congress that supports the right to choose I promise you: I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again.”

Biden even rebuked the black-robed justices who sat in the front row: “What freedoms would they take away next?”

Biden launched his speech with an impassioned attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine more than two years ago.

“We will not bow down,” Biden said angrily.

He quickly moved on to denounce Trump for kow-towing to the strongman.

“My predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin: ‘Do whatever the hell you want,'” he said, his voice dripping with disdain. “It’s outrageous. It’s dangerous. It’s unacceptable.”

Republican lawmakers led by House Speaker Mike Johnson sat in stony silence as Biden trashed Trump and his GOP allies for whitewashing the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

“My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth of January 6th,” he said. “I will not do that. This is a moment to speak the truth and bury the lies.”

Among other planned highlights, Biden proposed:

•Construction of a new port in Gaza to facilitate much-expanded aid to Palestinians bearing the brunt of Israel’s war against Hamas.

•A $5,000 tax credit to help first-time homebuyers.

•Raising corporate tax rates to 28% and imposing a minimum 25% tax on those with wealth of more than $100 million.

•Restoring the child tax credit.

The president used the speech to showcase his accomplishments on infrastructure, jobs and manufacturing, as well as push for desperately needed defense aid to Ukraine, tougher migration rules and lower prescription drug prices.

The White House and Biden’s reelection campaign has been frustrated that relatively few Americans seem to be aware of his achievements, especially on the economy.

The Biden campaign sees it as a huge advantage that the much-watched speech comes after he and Trump effectively wrapped up their parties nomination fights with big wins on Super Tuesday.

That sets up a contrast between Biden and Trump, which Democrats hope will help lift the president’s moribund poll numbers as voters focus on the possibility the twice-impeached, four-times-indicted Trump could win a return to the White House.

Just about 40% of Americans approve of how Biden is handling his job as president, polls say.

Unlike Biden, Republicans say the country is in crisis and facing near collapse, grim warnings that echo Trump’s dark campaign speeches.

Trump said he would respond in real time to Biden’s remarks on his social media site. But halfway through the speech, he had only criticized Biden for showing up late.

Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), the youngest Republican member in the chamber, was expected to deliver the GOP response to Biden. It’s not known if she will touch on the controversy over IVF in the state, which was caused by anti-abortion constitutional amendment declaring that life begins at conception.

One of First Lady Jill Biden’s guests for the speech was a Texas woman forced to flee the state, where almost all abortions are banned, to get an emergency abortion after her unborn baby was diagnosed with a fatal anomaly.

Biden faced some grumbling among his base of supporters over his staunch backing for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and protesters demonstrated on streets outside.

The Palestinian port plan is designed to assuage some of those concerns, which have sparked protest votes for “uncommitted” in recent Democratic primary votes.