This was a speech that was heavy on bipartisanship and unity, which might work to make Republicans look even worse when they don’t do it. His opening on Ukraine was extremely strong. His closing was strong—the middle was pretty much laundry list. But, in the end, what she says: 

Okay, got behind in the switch to the new thread. He’s going through the health care and family assistance in his plan that was BBB and we don’t know what to call now. Promises no middle class family will “pay a single penny,” and gets grumbles when he says that everyone in that room would agree that the tax bills are not fair. “You should pay a fair share!” Goes after all the Fortune 500 corporations who haven’t paid any taxes. Talks about international agreement on global minimum tax rate. “We will grow the economy, lower the costs to families—so what are we waiting for? Let’s get this done. […] And while you’re at it, confirm my nominees to the Federal Reserve.” Inside jab at fucking Republicans who are blockading them.

So this is why all the bipartisan stuff just lands so flat. 

Annoucement time: “Justice Department will name a chief prosecutor for pandemic fraud.”

Calls for raising the minimum wage to $15, extend child tax credits again, and increase Pell Grants. Pass the PRO Act to help workers organize.

“I know you’re tired, exhausted, frustrated.” Talks about the death toll of the pandemic. “Today I can say we’re moving forward safely toward a return to normal.” Talks about new mask guidelines from CDC. Says COVID-19 “need no longer control our lives.” Says we won’t live with it, we’ll “stay on guard” and continue to fight it. Here’s a good Pfizer will provide 1 million anti-viral pills, and there will be a new program for people to get tests at their pharmacy and if they test positive, get the anti-viral there and then, without having to pay.

“We will continue vaccinating the world.”

“Let’s use this moment to reset. Stop using COVID as a partisan fight.” That’s getting a good response from Dems, and a few Rs stood, too.

(Wow, it’s a lot more pleasant to do one of these with a real president doing the speaking.)

Turning to the crime part—says we don’t have to choose between safety and social justice. 

“We should all agree: The answer is not to defund the police.” The Republicans (and Joe Manchin who is sitting with them) likes that. If that can make the R’s stop yelling about terrorist Dems and Defund the police, great. It won’t.

Talks about gun reforms and sane legislation. Republicans sneer.

Not a single goddamned Republican even clapped for the idea of voting rights. He made an impassioned call to pass the Freedom to Vote act, but we all know the problem there. Then he thanks Justice Stephen Breyer for his service, and talks about his nominee, Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Now immigration. Says “border crisis” to get Rs to stand up and a handful of Rs start yelling “build the wall.” Of course. Rattling off a whole bunch of immigration stuff—he’s really rushing through now. But does promise a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, etc. 

“Let’s finally get the bipartisan Equality Act to my desk,” for protections for LGBTQ people which gets good response from Ds. Which segues him again into talking bipartisanship. Says he’s signed 87 bills and is offering a “unity agenda.”

The unity agenda: 1) end the opioid crisis; 2) strengthen mental health support; 3) support our veterans, calls for expanded benefits for victims of burn pit smoke and other military toxic exposure; 4) end cancer as we know it.

Hard to believe Boebert and Greene actually got tested in order to be there. I guess screaming shit at him when he’s talking about his dead son, Beau, was just too compelling

“The state of the union is strong because the state of you the people is strong. We are stronger than we were a year ago, we will be stronger in a year.”

“As hard as these times have been, I’m more optimistic about America today than I’ve been my whole life.”

“Well I know this nation.
We will meet the test.
To protect freedom and liberty, to expand fairness and opportunity.
We will save democracy.”