President Joe Biden turned his State of the Union speech into an animated argument for a second term as he laced into GOP front-runner Donald Trump for espousing “resentment, revenge and retribution” and jeopardising freedom at home and abroad.
The speech from the House rostrum, delivered on Thursday, just eight months before Biden stands for reelection, was something of an on-the-job interview for the nation’s oldest president as he tries to quell voter concerns about his age and job performance while sharpening the contrast with his all-but-certain November rival.
Raising his voice, he delivered a broadside against his predecessor for not standing by American allies abroad and for embracing antidemocratic ideas in the United States.
“Freedom and democracy are under attack and both at home and overseas at the very same time,” Biden said, as he appealed for Congress to support Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Russia’s invasion.
“History is watching.”