What to Expect in the State of the Union Address

President Biden will deliver what could be the final State of the Union address of his presidency Thursday night. The president will hail his administration's accomplishments and set out policy proposals for a second term—but it will also be "something of an on-the-job interview," with voters watching to see if the 81-year-old delivers the address with "vigor and command," the AP reports.

• Politico looks at some of the "toughest pain points" Biden is facing. Chief among them is the economy, where there is a contrast between his "triumphant attitude and disaffected voter opinion." The economy defied expectations for a recession in 2023 and inflation is coming down, but Americans are still struggling with high prices. Biden is expected to portray Republicans as "allies of the wealthy and large corporations instead of Americans who are struggling with rising costs," the New York Times reports.

• The border is another tough issue for the president and analysts expect him to "hammer" Republicans for rejecting a bipartisan deal on the issue.
• On foreign policy, Biden is expected to keep pushing for aid to Ukraine while walking what Politico calls a "fine line" on the Israel-Hamas war, touting his administration's support for Israel while addressing many voters' concerns about the plight of civilians in Gaza.
• The accomplishments Biden will likely use the address to remind Americans of include the "bipartisan infrastructure law, a bipartisan investment in semiconductor manufacturing, and Democratic legislation to incentivize clean energy investments and lower prescription drug costs," per the Hill.

• CNN looks at how first lady Jill Biden's guest list offers a "blueprint for the president's address." Her guests will include Kate Cox, who was denied an emergency abortion in Texas, and Alabama woman Latorya Beasley, whose IVF treatment was abruptly canceled. Civil rights activist Bettie Mae Fikes will be there, marking the 59th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march in Selma, Alabama. The full guest list, including United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain, can be seen here. (Ukraine's first lady declined the invite.)
• The Washington Post looks at how Biden's proposals from last year's State of the Union address panned out. The success rate "unsurprisingly, was pretty poor, given the Republican takeover of the House and the narrow edge Democrats hold in the Senate," the Post notes.

(More State of the Union address stories.)