From our correspondent in the United States,
It was said to be weakened by the polls, inflation and the Chinese spy balloon. But in a populist-tinged State of the Union address, it was a pumped-up Joe Biden who appeared before Congress and Americans on Tuesday night. With a promise, as he plans to run again in 2024: “Finish the job”, to make the middle class its prosperity.
Unlike last year, it was not Nancy Pelosi who welcomed the American president but Kevin McCarthy, elected Speaker of the House after the victory of the Republicans in the mid-term elections. Handsome player, Joe Biden congratulated him, saying he was “eager” to work with him. Starting with the debt ceiling.
“Let’s stand up for seniors”
In mid-January, the United States reached its debt ceiling, forcing the Treasury into a sleight of hand to continue paying the bills. With the specter of a historic default this summer if an agreement is not reached in Congress to raise it. In front of television cameras, Joe Biden laid a trap, and the Republicans fell into it.
The American president begins by accusing “certain” Republicans of wanting to sign the death warrant of the programs Medicare (the health of senior citizens) and social security ( retirement insurance). Outraged reaction from the Conservatives, with boos and Marjorie Taylor Green shouting “liar”. Biden is, indeed, showing a bit of bad faith – Kevin McCarthy swore it was off the table – but several elected Freedom caucus officials have not given up on cuts. All smiles, the American president is having fun: “We seem to be in agreement, are we not touching it? We have unanimity! “. And to conclude by clenching his fists: “Let’s stand up for the seniors! Let’s show them that we won’t cut Social Security! Steve Scalise and many Republicans comply, coerced and coerced by the cameras.
Biden the populist
More broadly, Biden played the unity card, recalling that he had signed “more than 300 pieces of legislation” adopted with Republican votes. He called on them to continue: “If it was possible with the previous Congress, I don’t see why it wouldn’t be with this one. »
Like Donald Trump in 2016, Joe Biden addressed the “forgotten” of growth. He said he “understands” the difficult end of the month “For decades, the middle class has been crushed. And, over time, we lost something else. Our pride. Our self-confidence. But he praised his progress, with 12 million jobs created, and “inflation which is marking time”. And promised to make “made in America” its priority for infrastructure.
Empathy for the parents of Tire Nichols
Joe Biden, who lost his son Beau to cancer, made Congress stand up for the mother and stepfather of Tyre Nichols, this African-American beaten to death by Memphis police.
He recalled that elected officials, mostly white, have never needed to have “the talk” with their children, this warning on the conduct to adopt in the face of the police. Hailing the “courage” of Tyre Nichols’ mother, he asked Congress to “finish the job” and pass the police reform named after George Floyd, which remains pending in the Senate. He also called for a “permanent” ban on assault rifles, as mass shootings have risen sharply since 2020.
Firmness on China and support for Ukraine
Accused by Donald Trump and the Republicans of not having shown enough firmness in waiting several days to bring down the Chinese spy balloon, Joe Biden swept aside the criticisms: “Make no mistake, if China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country, and we have done it! »
As the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches, the US Commander-in-Chief has promised the Ukrainians: “We will be with you as long as necessary”. On Twitter, President Zelensky thanked him for this “strong message”.
As tradition dictates, Joe Biden concluded his 75-minute speech by addressing Americans: “Because the soul of this country is strong, because its people are strong, the State of the Union is strong. ! The state of his probable candidacy too.