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Biden uses feisty State of the Union to contrast with Trump, sell voters on a second term

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden turned his State of the Union speech Thursday night into an animated argument for a second term as he laced into GOP front-runner Donald Trump for espousing “resentment, revenge and retribution” and jeopardizing freedom at home and abroad.

Over and over, Biden delivered broadsides at “my predecessor” without mentioning Trump by name, raising his voice as he tried to quell voter concerns about his age and job performance while sharpening the contrast with his all-but-certain November rival.

It was a far different — and feistier tone — from Biden than in his previous State of the Union address, and it was designed to banish doubts about whether the 81-year-old is still up to the job he bids for a second term. Biden goaded Republicans over their policies, invited call-and-response banter with fellow Democrats and seemed to revel in the fight.

“Freedom and democracy are under attack both at home and overseas at the very same time,” Biden said as he appealed for Congress to support Ukraine's efforts to defend itself against Russia's invasion. “History is watching.”

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