Ashley Elizabeth Miller

To set the stage:

The chamber brimmed with U.S. politicians, big and small: San Francisco Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D), Utah Sen. Mitt Romney (R), Delaware State Senator Chris Coons (D), Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D), accused sex trafficker Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R), recently impeached U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (D), and recently elected Long Island Rep. Tom Souzzi, who replaced the disgraced George Santos in a contested Nassau County race. Oh yeah, Santos was there too. It truly was a who’s-who. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer led President Biden down the aisle. But in true fashion, Biden opted to take his time. He meandered down the line of carefully crafted fans: young and old, black and white. He smiled wide, blue eyes beaming, energy high, shaking hands and kissing babies (just kidding, there were no babies – to my knowledge).

At the podium, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson appeared eager to leave before the show began. Vice President Kamala Harris stood patiently, poised and prepared to cheer Biden on. Her cheek bones shimmered. She wore a smart purple pants suit. Johnson, on the other hand, looked like an angry elf in need of a nap.

Now, here is my live-time coverage, apologies for a typo or two: Biden comes out SWINGING! His voice is strong and commanding! He knows his speech by heart (well, he memorized his lines well).

Biden called on Congress to pass the bipartisan border bill to supply defense shipments desperately needed in Ukraine (no mention of Gaza). He introduced Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson whose country just joined NATO; before referencing his predecessor (which he did 14 times total), former President Donald Trump who would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to NATO countries or any other who “don’t pay their bills.” Sweden’s PM smiled and sweetly waved. What more would you expect from a friendly Nordic face?

Now, Biden is calling out Putin: “We will not walk away. We will not bow down. I will not bow down. History is watching.”

He is imploring the crowd to remember the insurrection of January 6th. “But they failed! America stood. America stood strong, and democracy prevailed,” Biden said, met with a standing ovation.

Speaker Johnson stayed seated with a stupid sucked in smile.

“You can’t love your country only when you win!” roared Biden.

Biden has not stuttered! “Political violence has no place in our country.” Vice President Kamala Harris stood to clap. “History is watching.” And now he is bringing in a story about IVF. He is asking Congress to guarantee the right to IVF nationwide. He asked the chamber to thank his friend, VP Harris, for her work protecting women’s reproductive rights and “so much more.”

Fuck. He just slipped while talking about IVF. But the crowd saved him, and they stood with applause to drown out his misstep. I wonder if is his press people arrange that. “We will win again in 2024,” he said, saving himself.

Wow! Biden called out the Supreme Court. “I promise you, I will restore Roe v. Wade again.” The PBS-camera turned to the floor, squealing with whistles and heavy-handed claps. The justices just sat still (in the front row) looking dumb.

OK. He is talking about COVID-19. “Turning setback into comeback, that’s what America does.” And now he is talking about how America’s economy is “literally the envy of the world.” Small businesses are doing well, each new one is a seed of hope. Inflation is lower under Biden.

“We are exporting American products and creating American jobs.”

PBS slowly zoomed to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken seated near the front. He clapped for the president. (He seems quite stoic.) I wonder Blinken is sad, for all his globetrotting, that Biden has not mentioned his name; nor, the elephant in the room: the war in Gaza.

Yes, we are about thirty minutes in — he just made a joke — but he still has not mentioned Gaza. This cannot be good for his young progressive constiuent class (not that it’s large) and, more importantly, his Arab-American base in Michigan.

“Keep jobs right here in America.” He is now introducing a labor leader sitting in front of First Lady Jill Biden, dressed in a green skirt-suit with an encouraging smile drawn upon her face. “Unions built the middle class!” Biden cheered to the crowd’s return of applause.

“When America gets down, we get back up, that’s America! That’s you, the American people!”

He is reinforcing positive narratives of American solidarity (unlike Trump at every turn). “The state of our union is strong and getting stronger!” And the chamber called back: FOUR MORE YEARS, FOUR MORE YEARS.

Delaware has more corporate businesses licenses than any other state. I would put a big bet on the DuPonts playing a major role.

Now he is calling for lower prescription drugs costs and health care. Vermont State Sen. Bernie Sanders, wearing a mask, looking particularly rosy in the cheeks with tufts of white sprouting from his head, stood with strong applause. Speaker of the House, Mr. Johnson, looks on unapprovingly. Sidebar: He had dinner across from Don. Trump Jr. last night.

Biden implored the audience to imagine a future with lower health care costs for everyone. Donald Trump tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Biden whispered into the mic, widened his eyes, and said: “I’m not gonna let that happen.”

Rep. Matt Gaetz, the sex-trafficking man and Proud Boys leader, is shown slumped. I wonder how his adopted son from Cuba is doing. No agenda in ming. But I am genuinely curious. If you do not know what I am talking about, I ask you to look it up.

Biden is talking about building more housing to bring rents down. I wonder if New York City Mayor Eric Adams is listening (probably not). And now he is talking about the importance of giving all children the opportunity to good education.

“Every child deserves to read by third grade” he said. VP Harris stood and clapped. She continues smiling and being a fantastic cheerleader behind him. Meanwhile, Speaker Johnson still looks like an angry elf.

Biden promised to fight for public school teachers (to give them a raise). Maine State Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D) was shown and she stood to enthusiastically clap.

“Billionaires need to pay their fair share,” Biden said. A mixed review. We need a fair tax code. Trump imposed a tax cut that exploded the federal deficit. The tax code is not fair. Wealthy companies do not need another $2 million tax break (like they got with Trump). They do not need more money. Companies need to pay their fair share. And we agree.

But Biden, you have not mentioned Gaza. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is there. Be careful.

Billionaires pay 8.5% annual taxes. He proposes 25%. “Billionaires should not face the same tax cut as teachers.” Imagine the good it could do: child care and elder care. He is making a call to the working class to see the future in their shoes.

Another Delaware State Senator found himself on screen. Hi Mr. Tom Carper.

Republicans cut more social security. But Biden will protect social security and make billionaires pay their fair share. Mike Johnson looks like he was built in a North Pole workshop.

Biden is talking about Snickers! I think he went off-script (just kidding).

Biden promises to cut credit card late fees by $35 to $8. I was just fucked by Goldman Sachs on Feb. 29. He is saving us billions by cutting junk fees.

AND NOW: On the bipartisan deal. He did not stutter. The PBS cameraman is zooming toward Oklahoma State Sen. James Lankord who fucked over the negotiations. “This bill would save lives,” Biden said. It would give him the executive order to shut down the border.

But Trump likes when there is chaos at the border. Oh no. Biden messed up talking about immigration. He’s back: He will not demonize migrants coming into the country. He “will not ban people because of their faith.” Cue shot of Alejandro Mayorkas.

He is calling to slavery — “some people came from chains.”

“We all came from somewhere but we’re all Americans.”

“We have a simple choice, we can fight about fixing the border, or we can fix it. Send me the border bill now!” Biden shouted. He is back baby!

Biden is calling on Americans to vote. He is calling to pass the Equality Act. And to pass the Freedom to Vote Act.

“We are making history by taking the climate crisis seriously,” referencing his administration’s reduction on our country’s carbon footprint. He launched the Climate Corps comprised of American workers setting out to champion clean energy initiatives; thereby, helping the earth and building jobs. Senator Ocasio-Cortez stood and showed a bright toothy smile.

There is a protestor. But he has been swiftly escorted out. Oh, and I forgot to say, when he stuttered earlier, a MAGA whackjob (i.e., Marjorie Taylor Greene), a decked-out bottle blonde, wearing all red, shouted at the president. Who let her inside? I wish she would read a book.

Now he is calling on the anxieties of crime. He said his administration is cracking down on car and retails thefts, and gun violence (Uvalde specifically). He took the first ever-action to address the crisis by forming a task force under VP Harris (but I wonder how much it is doing).

Meanwhile, Trump said “just get over it,” referencing a recent mass shooting, Biden said, which is true. But Speaker of the House Mike Johnson did not stand up and clap. Everyone else did. Now Biden is calling for a ban on assault rifles.

AND NOW THE MIDDLE EAST: He said Israel first. And then acknowledged the Palestinian people. He called on the Jewish suffering first. He pledged to help bring the hostages home. Then said: “Israel has a fundamental responsibility to protect the innocent citizens of Gaza. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed.” Gaza is in ruin. He has been working on an immediate cease-fire, he said, honestly, unconvincingly. Blinken is on the screen. He did not receive a shout-out.

Biden announces the U.S. construction of a pier to enable humanitarian assistance into Gaza. The PBS cameraman showed two silent cease-fire protestors holding signs.

To Israel: “A pier cannot be bargaining chip. The only real solution is a two state solution over time.” There is no other path that guarantees peace between Israel and the Middle East and the world. Iran is a threat to us, Biden said. Adding, “I will protect our people and our military personnel.”

And onto China, his peers for years have said China is on the rise and America is on the decline, but Biden says NO! He was right all along: China is on the decline and America is on the rise. Speaker Johnson is shaking his head.

Biden has signed over 400 bipartisan deals: Fentanyl. Ban on AI voice impersonation. Protect our children online from predatory social media bigwigs. He helped the veterans. Johnson still did not stand. He should be careful around the veteran stuff (as in Johnson should be. Republicans should always smile around the topic of veterans).

Now Biden is talking cancer. And now it is time to finish up. “I know it may not look like it but I have been around awhile.” He has watched the battle for our nation’s soul bounce between those who want to move our country forward and those stuck on the past, languishing in hate.

Biden implores us “to give hate no safe harbor.” He compared himself with Trump, “other people my age (i.e., Trump) see it differently.”

Biden was a lawyer. The National Guard was deployed to Wilmington after Dr. King, one of Biden’s heroes, he said, was assassinated. This inspired him to fight for equality. Great closer.

“The very idea of America is we were all created equal. We have not always lived up to that. But we never walked away from it either. And I promise to keep trying.”

You can’t lead America with ancient ideas (i.e., hate). We don’t diminish democracy, we restore it! I, Biden, see a future where the working class finally has a chance to climb the ladder. “I believe in you, the American people. Let’s remember who we are: WE ARE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!”

PBS Aftermath:

The panelists agreed it was an overtly political, strong, needed speech, reinforcing America’s confidence in Biden: Four more years!

PBS screening of the chamber: Biden is walking and talking with a man who looks like my grandfather, the man I know, Delaware State Sen. Tom Carper.

David Brooks: Biden called on Congress to bring him the bipartisan border deal. “Politics has derailed this bill so far,” Biden said. David Brooks says it was a win for optics tonight, but not a tipping point for the deal. The Republicans still have the upper hand. “It’s still an open wound in the party.”

Oh, no: Alabama State Sen. Katie Britt is a brainwashed robot. She came on after Biden and the PBS commentary. I turned it off after four minutes. The cross around her neck was staring at me. And her slow, patronizing, robotic, sensuous, condescending tone was creeping me the fuck out.

Conclusion:

With experience comes judgment. Biden has the judgment to run our country for the next four years.