Joe Biden's State of the Union speech was the closest thing to a partisan monologue, which generated a wave of criticism for taking advantage of a moment of prime time for his personal benefit instead of to review what situation the country is currently in, hit by various crises such as the border crisis, the economic crisis and crime and drug trafficking. The president appeared on the platform of Congress - with Vice President Kamala Harris and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, behind him - before the attentive gaze of the legislators: the Democrats applauded him and congratulated him for his words, while the Republicans barely made any gestures.
The fact that the State of the Union address was more of a campaign event was evident in the number of times that Biden made reference to Donald Trump, who is widely expected to be his opponent in the November elections. Biden named his predecessor in office more than a dozen times, placing special emphasis on the altercations that occurred on January 6, 2021 at the Capitol.
Trump: "It was an angry, polarizing and hateful speech"
It didn't take long for Trump to pick up the baton and counterattack Biden for his allusions. Through his platform, Truth Social, the Republican candidate for the next elections began his response by criticizing the president's speech, in addition to referring to the immigration crisis that the president "does not want to fix":
In another publication, this time accompanied by a number of videos, Trump called his successor "corrupt" for not wanting to acknowledge his responsibility for "the horrific devastation he and his party have created" in the country:
Republican criticism
One of those who was able to listen to Biden's State of the Union address from very close range was Mike Johnson. The speaker of the House of Representatives, sitting behind the podium, he pointed out that the president was misguided throughout his monologue, while he congratulated Republican Senator Katie Britt, for delivering her reply which "firmly addressed Biden's failures":
As expected, Joe Biden completely missed the mark with his #SOTU address and his message does not resonate with the American people.
Instead, @KatieBrittForAL did an excellent job speaking directly to parents and families across the nation. She strongly addressed Biden’s…
— Mike Johnson (@MikeJohnson) March 8, 2024
Another of the big names in the Republican Party who reacted harshly against Biden was Greg Abbott. The governor of Texas, the state that is suffering the most from the consequences and dangers brought about by the immigration crisis, called it a "lie" that the president continues to assure that the country "is safe and secure":
President Biden tried to convince the American people tonight that our country is safe & secure.
That is a lie.
He has invited historic illegal immigration, criminals, & fentanyl to pour across the border.
Texas will continue to hold the line to keep America safe.#SOTU2024 pic.twitter.com/dvoJgLg5wh
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 8, 2024
The one who also mentioned the immigration crisis was Ted Cruz. The Republican senator from Texas criticized Biden for not recognizing the millions of foreigners who entered illegally across the border:
Tonight's State of the Union Address was bizarre — I have never seen anything like it.
The speech was devoid of reality.
President Biden told Americans who are struggling that inflation isn't that bad.
He gave no acknowledgement of the 10.4M illegal aliens he let into the… pic.twitter.com/BkXeS8JhX0
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) March 8, 2024
Democratic applause
While criticism resounded from the Republican side, congratulations to Biden for his speech were heard from the Democratic wing. The Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, was among the first to applaud the president:
.@JoeBiden’s speech tonight highlighted how we’re growing the economy, our commitment to defending fundamental freedoms, and our efforts to unite our country on the issues that impact us all.
Help us continue our progress by chipping in today:https://t.co/81j5U0RA81
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) March 8, 2024
Gavin Newsom, governor of California and whose name was strongly suggested to be one of the Democratic candidates for the November elections, summarized the management of the Biden Administration, adding a final sentence with which he made his opinion clear:
15 million jobs.
Wages rising.
Inflation cooling.
Capping insulin costs.
Expanding healthcare access.
Winning battles agains the NRA.I’ll take Biden’s America any day. https://t.co/7KPsRN1Fy3
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 8, 2024
The Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, praised the president's figure, defining him as "a leader":
What the American people heard tonight was a leader who spoke directly to them, acknowledging their needs and sharing in their hopes for the future, reminding us why America is a beacon of hope to the rest of the world and the work that must be done to maintain that status#SOTU
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 8, 2024
