by Freda Donnelly @ShesBasedBabe
While the experience of watching the 2024 State of the Union may have varied depending on what channel or streaming service you used for the occasion, it was best summed by Ben Shapiro: “Well, that was shit!” But before we dive into the overwhelmingly negative reception of the speech, let’s take it from the top.
President Biden began his third State of the Union address by remarking, “Good evening. Good evening. If I were smart, I would go home now.” POTUS harkened back to World War II: “Mr. Speaker, Madam Vice President, members of Congress, my fellow Americans, in January 1941, Franklin Roosevelt came to this chamber to speak to the nation, and he said, ‘I address you in a moment, unprecedented in the history of the union.’ Hitler was on the march. War was raging in Europe. President Roosevelt’s purpose was to wake up Congress and alert the American people that this was no ordinary time. Freedom and democracy were under assault in the world.” From this dramatic beginning, Biden proceeded in a highly partisan manner. His vociferous start left him little room to go with his fury and indignation, much like a child running out of space on a happy birthday card after writing the ‘h’ and ‘a’ large enough to cover half the paper.
Ukraine Claims
“Tonight, I come to the same chamber to address the nation. Now, it’s we who face an unprecedented moment in the history of the union. And yes, my purpose tonight is to wake up the Congress and alert the American people that this is no ordinary moment either. Not since President Lincoln and the Civil War have freedom and democracy been under assault at home as they are today. What makes our moment rare is that freedom and democracy are under attack both at home and overseas at the very same time. Overseas, Putin of Russia is on the march, invading Ukraine and sowing chaos throughout Europe and beyond. If anybody in this room thinks Putin will stop at Ukraine, I assure you, he will not. But Ukraine, Ukraine can stop Putin. Ukraine can stop Putin, if we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons they need to defend itself. That is all — that is all Ukraine is asking. They’re not asking for American soldiers. In fact, there are no American soldiers at war in Ukraine, and I’m determined to keep it that way.”
This is demonstrably false as previous remarks from Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder have shown. When the United States sent a $150 million package of military aid to Ukraine in October, he noted, “This marks the 49th provision of equipment from DOD inventories to Ukraine since August 2021.” If sending weapons to Ukraine is the answer, the problem should have been solved by now.
But the aid didn’t stop with weapons. Contrary to Biden’s allegations, the USO stated last month that “The United States swiftly took action, stepping up to support our democratic allies. Forty thousand American troops deployed to Eastern Europe in response to the invasion, and in total, there are now approximately 100,000 American service members either deployed or permanently stationed in Europe in support of our NATO allies and the Ukrainian protection of their sovereignty and freedom.”
This was neither the first nor the last falsehood perpetuated by Biden in his State of the Union remarks. Perhaps the President is under the impression that the country’s memory is as short as his.
He continued in the same vein of falsification and misrepresentation, “Now, now my predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, quote, do whatever the hell you want. That’s a quote. A former president actually said that, bowing down to a Russian leader. I think it’s outrageous, it’s dangerous, and it’s unacceptable.” In fact, Trump did not explicitly encourage Russia to act freely towards NATO allies. Rather, during a rally in South Carolina, he recounted a conversation he’d had with an unnamed ally in the past. Trump boasted about his tough stance on NATO, claiming credit for their increased financial contributions (although he misrepresented certain facts about the alliance and his own achievements). He recounted, “I got them to pay up. NATO was in bad shape until I intervened. I made it clear: everyone must contribute.” Trump then shared an anecdote about a president from a major country asking if their nation would still be protected if they didn’t pay their dues. Trump allegedly responded that non-payment would result in non-protection and even suggested he would support Russian actions. The underlying message was clear: payment obligations must be met. This was not Trump giving Putin free reign.
As a side note, it was interesting to observe that Biden spoke frequently about both Trump and abortion while refusing to name either of them, opting instead to refer to “my predecessor” and “reproductive rights,” respectively.
Personal Guests and Political Messages
Shortly thereafter, Biden pivoted to talk of IVF and then abortion, “Like most Americans, I believe Roe v. Wade got it right. I thank Vice President Harris for being an incredible leader, defending reproductive freedom and so much more. But my predecessor came to office determined to see Roe v. Wade overturned. He’s the reason it was overturned. And he brags about it.” Biden called on Congress to help him achieve his 2020 campaign promise to codify Roe v Wade, a promise he is now using as a proverbial carrot to retain office (and which lands in the “stalled” category on PolitiFact’s Biden Promise Tracker along with 30 others). It is important to remember that even Democrat icon Ruth Bader Ginsberg heavily critiqued Roe. In a much-quoted lecture at New York University in 1992, Ginsburg noted that Roe was an example of how “Doctrinal limbs too swiftly shaped…may prove unstable.”
The State of the Union address continued with Biden proclaiming, “Look at the chaos that has resulted. Joining us tonight is Kate Cox, a wife and mother from Dallas. She’d become pregnant again, and had a fetus with a fatal condition. Her doctor told Kate that her own life and her ability to have children in the future were at risk if she didn’t act. Because Texas law banned her ability to act, Kate and her husband had to leave the state to get the what she needed. What her family got through should have never happened as well. But it is happening to too many others.”
Allie Beth Stuckey, host of Relatable, clarified this story, stating, “Kate Cox traveled out of Texas to abort her baby who had a fetal anomaly, Trisomy 18. Many parents lovingly deliver babies with this condition every day. Kate’s life was not at risk – she’d have been able to legally get an abortion if it had been.” Lila Rose, founder of the non-profit Live Action, added, “Biden could have invited a girl like 15-year-old Bella Santorum — who has the exact same condition as Kate Cox’s baby — to show the beauty and potential of every life. But no, he chose to invite Cox, who murdered her preborn little girl at 20+ weeks and pretends to be the victim.”
After stumbling over his words, Biden doubled down, “If you, the American people, send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, I promise you, I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again.” What the president failed to acknowledge is the pro-life sentiment that has taken root in Gen-Z, which has even been referred to as ‘the pro-life generation,’ as well as the pro-life sentiments of many women. As podcast host Liz Wheeler said, “Don’t lump me in with women who want to kill their babies, Mr. President. Not ALL women want to dismember their unborn children in the womb.” It is clear that if the future generations of this nation are being murdered before they even come out of the womb, America as a nation will not have a future.
Fascinating Foibles
Amidst the cries of “Four more years!” and Kamala’s incessant standing and sitting, Biden carried on, “I came to office determined to get us through one of the toughest periods in the nation’s history. We have. It doesn’t make new, news — in a thousand cities and towns, the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told. So let’s tell the story here. Tell it here and now. America’s comeback is building a future of American possibilities, building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down, investing in all America, in all Americans, to make sure everyone has a fair shot and we leave no one, no one behind. The pandemic no longer controls our lives. The vaccines that saved us from Covid are now being used to beat cancer. Turning setback into comeback — that’s what America does. That’s what America does.” Many were flummoxed at the President’s claim that the Covid vaccine cures cancer, several tweeting that he must have meant “caused” instead of “cured” as there have been documented tragic results of vaccination. However, the National Institute of Health does appear to back this claim with a new study.
The study conducted by the National Institute of Health aimed to investigate the impact of Sinopharm (S) and AstraZeneca (A) COVID-19 vaccines on breast cancer, particularly on the 4T1 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) mice model. The researchers vaccinated mice with one or two doses of either Sinopharm or AstraZeneca vaccines and monitored tumor size, body weight, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), expression of important tumor markers, and metastasis in vital organs. The key findings revealed a significant decrease in tumor size, increased TILs in the tumor, decreased expression of tumor markers, and reduced metastasis in vaccinated mice, particularly after two doses of vaccination. These results suggest that COVID-19 vaccinations may potentially have a positive impact on decreasing tumor growth and metastasis in breast cancer. This could be what Biden’s speechwriters were referencing in the State of the Union.
After making a connection between microchips and the micro amount of chips in a bag due to “shrinkflation” Biden pivoted to taking credit for the accomplishments of the Trump administration, accomplishments which Biden reversed so that he could later re-enact and take credit for them. “Instead of paying $400 a month or thereabouts for insulin with diabetes, it’ll only costs ten bucks to make — they only get pay 35 a month now and still make a healthy profit. And now I want to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for every American who needs it — everyone.” Biden would go on to say, “Now I want to cap prescription drug costs at $2,000 a year for everyone. Folks, I am going to get in trouble for saying this, but maybe you want to get into Air Force One with me and fly to Toronto, Berlin, Moscow — I mean, excuse me — well even in Moscow, probably. And bring your prescription with you, and I promise you I’ll get it for you for 40 percent the cost you are paying now. Same company, same drug, same place. Folks, the Affordable Care Act, the old Obamacare, is still a very big deal.”
State of the Union Interruptions and Bets
Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene passed out pins last night honoring Laken Riley, the young nursing student who was murdered by an illegal migrant at the end of last month. Before the State of the Union began, Greene asked Biden to say Riley’s name while the confused president asked, “Say her name? Say whose name?” Later on, Greene interrupted the portion of the speech regarding the border, interjecting, “Say her name!” while pointing her finger at Biden. He responded, “Lincoln Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal, that’s right. But how many thousands of people are being killed by legals? To her parents, I say, my heart goes out to you having lost children myself. I understand,” whilst he appeared to look for Riley’s parents, who were not in attendance.
However, Steve Nikoui, the Gold Star father of Kareem Nikoui, was in attendance. He was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor after shouting “Abbey Gate” during the speech – referring to the place his son was killed during Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. Nikoui was the guest of Florida Congressman Brian Mast, who later arranged for Nikoui to be released from custody.
Despite the somber undertones of the evening, the spectacle of political betting added another layer of intrigue to the proceedings. BetOnline introduced a variety of betting options surrounding Thursday’s significant speech, in which the 81-year-old president aimed to address national concerns about his cognitive abilities and mental fitness. This betting frenzy came in the wake of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report, which characterized the president as a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
Some of the betting options included whether Biden would directly mention “Trump” (2/1 odds), whether he would misname a foreign leader or country (3/1 odds), or whether he would mention “senile” or “dementia” (3/1 odds). Additionally, bettors could wager on various topics likely to be discussed during Biden’s State of the Union, such as “Border” (-130), “Ukraine” (+300), or “Democracy” (-120). Other bets included whether Biden would mention Trump’s cognitive ability or refer to his own age, the length of the address, and the number of “Non-Facts” mentioned, according to the Washington Post Fact Checker Blog. Moreover, there were odds on the words Alabama Sen. Katie Britt would use in her Republican response. Although political betting wasn’t allowed in U.S. sportsbooks, BetOnline.ag, situated offshore, offered these bets with all odds subject to change.
Israel, Palestine, and Iran Comments
Biden ended his State of the Union address in the same manner he began, by addressing international events: “You know, as we manage challenges at home, we’re also managing crises abroad, including in the Middle East. I know the last five months have been gut-wrenching for so many people, for the Israeli people, for the Palestinian people and so many here in America.” The President touched upon the crisis in the Middle East, particularly the conflict between Israel and Hamas, highlighting the devastating impact on innocent civilians, including Palestinians. He pledged to work towards a cease-fire, release hostages, and provide humanitarian aid while urging Israel to allow more aid into Gaza. The President emphasized his belief in the need for a two-state solution for lasting peace and asserted his commitment to Israel’s security. “I’ve been working nonstop to establish an immediate cease-fire that would last for six weeks to get all the prisoners released — all the hostages released. It would get the hostages home, and ease the intolerable humanitarian crisis, and build toward an enduring, something more enduring. The United States has been leading international efforts to get more humanitarian assistance into Gaza. Tonight, I’m directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters. No U.S. boots will be on the ground. A temporary pier will enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day.” Additionally, he addressed the threat posed by Iran and asserted his readiness to defend against it, “Creating stability in the Middle East also means containing the threat posed by Iran. That’s why I built a coalition of more than a dozen countries to defend international shipping and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. I’ve ordered strikes to degrade the Houthi capability and defend U.S. forces in the region. As commander in chief, I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and our military personnel.”
Closing Remarks
Biden wrapped up and rallied with, “Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are the oldest of ideas. But you can’t lead America with ancient ideas that only take us back. To lead America, the land of possibilities, you need a vision for the future and what can and should be done. Tonight, you’ve heard mine. I see a future where defending democracy; you don’t diminish it. I see a future where we restore the right to choose and protect other freedoms, not take them away. I see a future where the middle class finally has a fair shot and the wealthy have to pay their fair share in taxes. I see a future where we save the planet from the climate crisis and our country from gun violence. Above all, I see a future for all Americans. I see a country for all Americans. And I will always be a president for all Americans because I believe in America. I believe in you, the American people. You’re the reason we’ve never been more optimistic about our future than I am now. So, let’s build the future together. Let’s remember who we are. We are the United States of America! And there is nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we act together. God bless you all, and may God protect our troops. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
In conclusion, the 2024 State of the Union address was a tumultuous event, marked by contentious remarks, factual inaccuracies, and political theatrics. From the impassioned debates over international crises to the spectacle of political betting, the evening was a microcosm of the current political climate. Biden used this speech to alienate half of the country with his partisan posturing, demonstrate his loose grip on truth, and campaign on promises from 2020 that he still hasn’t made good on. It left the average American with the taste of betrayal in their mouth, soured on just how corrupt this current regime is. Whether you count from when it was named the State of the Union (1935) or the first event of its kind ever to happen on American soil (1790), this speech might go down as the worst in history. Despite the resounding factual inaccuracies, it showed how far the United States has currently fallen and what a large job lies ahead for the incumbent President.