One administration official said the speech’s importance is not lost on the president’s top advisers — and the president himself.
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.
Why would you want to tamp down anxiety?
Ramp it up so people are more willing to get out and vote.