Biden allies see a chance to tamp down some Democratic anxiety: The State of the Union address

Advisers grappling with President Joe Biden’s stubbornly low poll numbers and Democratic anxiety see the State of the Union as a chance to make case for Biden.

WASHINGTON — Advisers grappling with President Joe Biden’s stubbornly low poll numbers and pressure from Democrats to shake up his strategy are planning a far more aggressive approach in coming weeks, with a keen focus on what they see as a high-stakes opportunity and hurdle to clear: the State of the Union address.

One administration official said the speech’s importance is not lost on the president’s top advisers — and the president himself.

“This is probably going to be the most important speech of his presidency and it’s going to set the tone for [this] year,” another administration official said.

The White House is trying to fend off Democratic anxiety about how the incumbent president enters the election year — virtually tied with former President Donald Trump in national polls.

There is a concern among some Democratic strategists that the White House and Biden campaign have a tendency to brush away the criticism instead of trying to figure out what’s going wrong.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/biden-state-of-the-union-rcna132154

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