It’s America’s annual exercise in patriotic rhetoric, indomitable optimism and
global leadership. The presidential State of the Union (SOTU) address—first delivered by George Washington in 1790 and repeated every year since 1913—showcases each leader’s policy priorities and persuasion skills.
The SOTU oration reflects the president’s personality, from the soaring spirit of Cold Warrior Ronald Reagan to the plucky persistence of the current president, Joe Biden, who annually reminds his audience, “It’s never a good bet to bet against America.”
The speech is grand political theater with two audiences in mind: foreign governments and domestic voters. The Super Bowl of American politics, it attracts the highest TV ratings of any regularly scheduled political event. Politicians, pundits and diplomats parse the text for hidden meaning and for shifts
