This year, Biden could also face protests and heightened emotions — particularly among his base supporters — over his staunch backing for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. The White House had initially hoped a short-term ceasefire would be in place by the speech. It blames Hamas for not yet accepting a deal brokered by the U.S. and its allies.The president will also issue an emphatic call for lawmakers to pass sorely needed defense assistance for Ukraine. Acute ammunition shortages have allowed Russia to retake the offensive in the 2-year-old war.The GOP-controlled House has refused to act on a Senate-passed version of the aid legislation, insisting on new stiffer measures to limit migration at the U.S.-Mexico border, after Trump used his influence to help sink a bipartisan compromise that would have done just that.Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, said he was expecting that Biden “knocks Republicans in the teeth” for rejecting the border security deal.”Voters want a candidate who cares about the border, but they want a candidate who’s going to do something about it, not just complain about it,” he said.Access to abortion and fertility treatments also is expected to be a key component of Biden’s speech, especially in light of a controversial ruling from Alabama’s Supreme Court that has upended access to in vitro fertilization treatment in the state.
Source link
