Biden address focuses on domestic 'successes'

Significance

The speech focused almost exclusively on the president’s domestic agenda, with surprisingly little space given to foreign policy. By emphasising the need to “finish the job”, he set the stage for the launch of his re-election campaign -- and coped effectively with a new level of Republican heckling.

Impacts

• The Republican-controlled House will attempt to frustrate most aspects of Biden’s agenda while scrutinising executive actions.
• Biden will point to job growth and low unemployment while seeking measures that can help curb inflation.
• Biden will need to expend political capital to keep bipartisan support for Ukraine but should see support for his China policy.
• Both Democratic and Republican priorities will be difficult to achieve due to the depth of the partisan divide.