State of the Union | A closely scrutinized speech

Will Joe Biden appear as a confused old man or as a politician in full possession of his means? Will the Republicans make an impression with their special guests? The annual State of the Union address this Thursday evening takes on particular importance in this election year. A few points risk being scrutinized… and could influence voters.

Speech

The president’s annual State of the Union address, delivered to elected representatives of Congress, is provided for by the American Constitution. But its telecast makes it a leading platform to reach millions of people directly in their homes. “Even if Joe Biden is going to say: “I am presenting myself here only as the president of all Americans”, in a very official position, he is also Joe Biden the candidate”, underlines Valérie Beaudoin, associate researcher at the Observatory on United States of the Raoul-Dandurand Chair.

She therefore expects a speech that highlights his successes and what he could accomplish in a second term. With, probably, the central theme of the economy, a very concrete issue for the public.

“In the current context, I think this is a speech that is very, very important for Biden, but also for Americans in general, since we are at the dawn of an election which risks being quite special », adds M^me Beaudoin. The presentation begins at 9 p.m.

Age

Will Joe Biden confuse politicians’ names, as he has done before? Will he speak too slowly? Will he appear frail? So many aspects which will be analyzed in detail during his speech, while many Americans are concerned about the age of the current president, who celebrated his 81st birthday in November.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had a State of the Union address in history where people looked at every detail to this extent,” said John A. Tures, professor of political science at LaGrange College. in Georgia. That makes it a historic speech. »

The president’s condition is increasingly worrying Americans and could influence their choice in November. A survey The New York Times/Siena, conducted in February, showed that 73% of respondents thought he was too old to be president – ​​including 56% of Democratic respondents.

“Beyond the substance, it is really the form that we will look at, because he must appear presidential, he must appear capable of having another four-year mandate,” observes M.^me Beaudoin.

Guests

Special guests of elected officials may attend the speech in person. A longtime political enthusiast, Mr. Tures remembers a helicopter pilot invited for his heroism to a Ronald Reagan State of the Union address. “It was a way of applauding national heroes,” he explains. Now, people use special guests when they want to make a symbolic gesture or draw attention to a political issue. »

This year, reproductive rights will be at the heart of the electoral debates. The Democrats notably invited Kate Cox, a Texan who had to leave her state to abort a non-viable fetus. The first American born through in vitro fertilization will also be in attendance.

On the Republican side, the issues of immigration and security mobilize supporters. A representative invited a border guard; others invited police officers who were attacked outside a migrant shelter in New York.

The wife of the Ukrainian president, Olena Zelenska, and the widow of the Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny, Yulia Navalnaïa, declined the invitation from the White House.

Interruptions

Last year, Republican elected officials interrupted Joe Biden’s speech several times, heckling and booing the president, particularly on issues of immigration and health.

A way of trying to destabilize the speaker, but also to score points with their base.

“It pleases their electorate; [la représentante républicaine] Marjorie Taylor Greene is not her first controversy, on the contrary, she always wants to fuel it,” notes M^me Beaudoin.

But it’s a double-edged tactic: this kind of strategy generally turns off moderate or independent voters.

Reactions

The words chosen to address the war between Israel and Hamas are also likely to attract a lot of attention. Mr. Tures raises the possibility that Democrats critical of Joe Biden’s support for Israel will show their support for the Palestinian people in one way or another during the evening.

The families of 17 American citizens kidnapped by Hamas in Israel on October 7 will be there, at the invitation of an elected Democrat and a Republican elected official.

Eyes will also be on the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, who will be seated behind the president. When she held this position during the presidency of Donald Trump, Democrat Nancy Pelosi ostentatiously tore up a copy of the speech in front of the cameras.

With the Associated Press, Reuters andIndependent