Biden's populist moment: Jack Beatty on the State of the Union address
Populism, border politics and primaries. In this podcast special, On Point news analyst Jack Beatty highlights key moments from President Biden’s second State of the Union address.
Guest
Jack Beatty, On Point news analyst. Author of the Age of Betrayal: The Triumph of Money in America and editor of Colossus: How the Corporation Changed America. (@JackBeattyNPR)
Transcript
MEGHNA CHAKRABARTI: We are here to talk about President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address that he gave last night. There is much to discuss. So let’s start off in the same way that Biden himself started off, with some bipartisanship. He gave a good-natured nod to Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
PRESIDENT BIDEN [Tape]: I start tonight by congratulating 118th Congress, the new speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy. Speaker, I don’t want to ruin your reputation, but I look forward to working with you.
CHAKRABARTI: A recurring theme throughout Biden’s speech. Sometimes he gave that theme straightforwardly, sometimes with a bit of a tease, sometimes directly challenging Republicans in the chamber.
BIDEN [Tape]: New Orleans is formed as I am, but I think the people sent us a clear message. Fighting for the sake of fighting, power for the sake of power, conflict for the sake of conflict gets us nowhere. That’s always been my vision of our country. And I know it’s many of yours. To restore the soul of this nation, to rebuild the backbone of America, America’s middle class, and unite the country. We’ve been sent here to finish the job, in my view.
CHAKRABARTI: So, Jack, first of all, Biden did sound this note over and over again, during sometimes it was quite a contentious speech last night. What do you think of that message?
JACK BEATTY: Well, the two parts of it, really, the amity toward the other side. What a change, really, from President Trump’s last State of the Union speech where he refused to shake hands with Speaker Pelosi. And then in retaliation, she tore up his speech. Instead, we had the courtly gesture to Kevin McCarthy. That, however, did not prelude a wider amity among the party, between the parties. The Republicans, according to John Harris, made themselves disgraceful with boos, taunts, groans. And I like this phrase, sarcastic chortles. My gosh, a sarcastic chortle. There was a lot of that from the Republicans.
CHAKRABARTI: Jack, I was just going to say that it did have sort of a slight feel of the British House of Commons back benchers having their say.
