Biden gets political in SOTU speech as campaigning ramps up

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – President Joe Biden is hitting the campaign trail in Pennsylvania on Friday after delivering a fiery State of the Union Address on Thursday night. His speech was overtly political, and in it the president took direct aim at his Republican opponent Donald Trump.

As Democratic lawmakers chanted ‘4 more years’ President Biden used his State of the Union speech to make a re-election pitch.

“I will always be president for all Americans,” Biden said.

With Congress in front of him and a campaign fight ahead of him, President Biden went on the attack. He laid out his case against Trump in several different parts of his address.

Early on he criticized the former president for how he handled the January 6 Capitol attack.

“My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth about Jan. 6,” Biden said.

He also went after Trump and Republicans on the issue of abortion

“Many of you in this chamber and my predecessor are promising to pass a national ban on reproductive freedom,” Biden said.

In the conclusion of the speech he compared his vision for the country with what he argued is Trump’s vision.

“My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy. A future based on the core values that have defined America: honesty, decency, dignity, equality,” Biden said. “Now some other people my age see it differently. The American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution. That’s not me.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries  (D-N.Y.)  says Democrats are energized by the political appeals.

“Smoking Joe Biden was on fire,” Jeffries said.

But Republicans slammed the speech and accused the president of getting too political.

Congressman Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) says the President should be focused on uniting lawmakers.

“That was frustrating. This is supposed to be a state of the union and again, this was a campaign rally,” LaHood said.

Although Senator Kate Britt (R-Ala.)  also got political in the Republican response.

“The free world deserves better than a dithering and diminished leader,” Britt said.

As the 2024 campaign heats up, Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) says Democrats are showing voters a contrast.

“The contrast in America invigorated by possibilities and devoted to freedom and an America stuck in the MAGA grievance cycle,” Auchincloss said.

Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa.) argues voters don’t want another 4 years of President Biden.

“I think this country’s going to move in a different direction in November,” Hinson said.

Both President Biden and former president Donald Trump take their campaigns to Georgia this weekend.

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