President Biden faced, arguably, his toughest test on Tuesday as he addressed the American public for his annual message.
The war in Ukraine took center stage amid Russia’s strikes on various cities. Biden addressed the raging war in Eastern Europe and made it a point to unite the country against Russia’s hostile acts against its neighbor.
With a 40-mile long Russian convoy on the outskirts of Kyiv, analysts and military throughout the week gave experts a rather bleak outlook on Ukraine’s chances.
Experts predicted that Kyiv could fall in a matter of days, and Russia’s attacks so far were only the tip of the iceberg.
Biden throughout the night made it a point to condemn Putin’s actions and display his solidarity for Ukraine. Biden even called on Congress to stand in solidarity with Ukraine, to which he received a standing ovation from both parties.
The president established that democracies worldwide must fight back against the looming threat of authoritarianism in Europe.
“In the battle between democracy and autocracies, democracies are rising to the moment,” Biden said. “The world is clearly choosing the side of peace and security. This is the real test.”
Biden took more time on Tuesday to point out the unity between NATO and the West. NATO enacted sanctions to inflict severe economic effects in response to Putin’s unjustified aggression.
Biden specifically referred to those affected by the sanctions as “Russian oligarchs and corrupt leaders who have bilked billions of dollars off this violent regime.”
Biden expressly told the American public that American troops would not be taking part in this war, but the country would feel the effects at the gas pump.
Before the conflict in Ukraine took center stage, inflation concerns were going to be the main point of the president’s address. Biden laid out his four-point plan to combat the growing inflation problem in America.
“Too many families are struggling to keep up with their bills. Inflation is robbing them of gains they thought otherwise they would be able to feel. I get it,” Biden said.
Biden’s plan included making more products in America instead of overseas and increasing competition in other industries to create more jobs. With rising gas prices amid sanctions on Russia, it’s hard to tell when this plan can be effective.
Biden also took a brief moment to speak about his recent nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. The Judge would be the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, and the nomination would be a landmark in Biden’s presidency.
Biden presented his plan to combat COVID-19 and called for both parties to “reset” the current political climate as the country prepares for another return to normality.
“We have lost so much to COVID-19. Time with one another. And worst of all, much loss of life. Let’s use this moment to reset. Stop looking at COVID-19 as a partisan dividing line.
See it for what it is: A God-awful disease. Let’s stop seeing each other as enemies and start seeing each other for who we are: Fellow Americans,” Biden said.
Biden said that Americans who already ordered COVID-19 tests would be able to order additional ones beginning as soon as next week.
Biden added that his scientists are hard at work in ensuring that vaccines are coming for children under the age of five.
Biden ended his address by speaking directly to America and reassuring all citizens with an optimistic tone.
“We are stronger today than we were a year ago, and we will be stronger a year from now than we are today. Now is our moment to meet and overcome the challenges of our time. And we will, as one people. One America. The United States of America,” Biden said.
