Biden Dances with Unreality in State of the Union (my thoughts to Sputnik and Izvestia)

Yesterday evening, I was asked by Sputnik News and Izvestia to give my thoughts on Biden’s State of the Union Address alongside geopolitical analyst Daniel Lazare, and Eurasia Center VP Eric Rasmussen. The published commentary can be read here, and my full unabridged thoughts follow below:

“Biden's State of the Union was a surreal dance with delusion as the President self-flattered himself and mobs of career politicians dominating the audience for over an hour.

If one knew nothing whatsover of the state of decay within America's borders which have been pushed to near civil war levels of tension, as well as the destruction committed to the nations of the world under America's lead, one would have heard Biden's speech and come to the conclusion that the US is enjoying the greatest recovery in history and has brought "peace, democracy  and freedom to the world". But these positive words of self-congratulations were contrasted with Biden's admission of rates of fentanyl deaths, veteran suicide, and collapsing infrastructure that betray the peachy message.

One might even think that the otherwise positive mission to bring industry and infrastructure back to American economic practice were driven by a viable plan that entailed re-organizing the bankrupt Wall Street speculators who have held the nation hostage for decades. But Biden only inferred that the historic 2022 infrastructure spending bill will create green jobs and will require billions of dollars from the private sector.

In Biden's mind, "uniting NATO", "standing up to Putin and Xi Jinping” while overseeing a standing ovation for the Ukrainian Ambassador the USA (whose name he forgot) are all tied to his rhetoric that America “has made the world safer”. 

Biden's remarks were also overshadowed by the embarrasing case of the Chinese civilian weather balloon which the USA shot out of the sky days earlier and to which Biden characterized as "China threatening America's sovereignty". When speaking of Xi Jinping- a leader who enjoys well over 90% approval ratings by his people and the most robust economy in the world, Biden (a leader with 40% approval) stated "name me one world leader who would be willing to trade places with Xi Jinping. Name me one... It's never good to bet against America".

The rabble of political hacks lost no time launching into a collective chant repeating "USA, USA, USA" in synch for several seconds.

For Joe Biden, the speech was not a failure and may possibly win him a bit of support, but for America and the Americans who desperately need a leader with ideas and policies representing their true self-interests (which involve avoiding WWIII), it is a dismal failure.”