Five Things Joe Biden Needs to do in his State of The Union Speech to Make it a Success

This Thursday, President Biden will speak to the nation in his third– and potentially final– State of the Union address. It could very well feature his largest television audience before the November election, making it a prime opportunity for the 81-year-old to ease concerns about his age and stamina. The speech is shaping up to be pretty high stakes for the President, as he faces criticism over his handling of Middle Eastern affairs, the Southern border, the economy, and more. His approval rating is relatively low and needs fixing before going head-to-head against Donald Trump. Thursday is one of Biden’s last chances to reframe his presidency with such a large audience. Here are some of the things he must do if he wants his address to be a success. 

1) Joke about his age. Biden needs to make light of the elephant in the room, which is his senior citizenship. Doing this could help ease concerns, destigmatize his age, and allow the President to reclaim a popular talking point against him. 

2) Call out Republicans over the border. Biden’s handling of the Southern border has an abysmal approval rating amongst likely voters. If he wants to win in November, the President needs to point out that Republicans blocked bipartisan legislation to change our current immigration system– months after demanding it– all because Donald Trump told them to do so for his own political gain. Biden can challenge Congressional Republicans to pass his legislation and frame any current immigration issues as a result of their inaction, not his. 

3) Take some digs at his likely opponent. Biden can spend some time comparing and contrasting his record with that of his predecessor. The State of the Union generally isn’t overly political, but now might be a good chance for Biden to go on offense against Trump. 

4) Attack Republicans for their restrictions on abortion and IVF. Congressional Republicans blocked a bill to legally protect in vitro fertilization last week, and Biden should call them out for it. The majority of Americans support IVF, so it would be smart on his behalf to bring this up. He should also reaffirm his support for abortion access, which could be a pivotal issue in November. The striking down of Roe v. Wade drove voter turnout in 2022, and it could very well do the same in 2024. 

5) Reach out to the communities he’s losing support amongst. Recent polls have revealed that Biden is struggling with young voters and people of color, so it might be smart for him to tout his accomplishments that specifically pertain to these groups. For example, he should bring up his recent student loan forgiveness efforts, as they mostly appeal to younger voters. 

Thursday should be all about Biden knowing his challenges and confronting them head-on. The State of The Union is a great opportunity for him to turn things around before it’s too late.