On Feb. 19, 2021, newly-elected president Joe Biden announced that “America is back.” Since that time, America has indeed taken a great step back in every area that can be measured. Against this backdrop, an unusually pepped up president presented perhaps the angriest “State of Confusion” speech on record.
Looking lost and perplexed that people were actually present upon his entrance to the House chamber, the president took likely the longest amount of time ever recorded to reach the podium, even taking a selfie along the way (how’s that for age 81). The event then quickly took on the atmosphere of a circus/political rally.
It seemed a struggle for the visibly stiff and doddering president to even hand copies of his speech to the vice president and Speaker of the House as he reached the podium. Squinting throughout his rant, Biden didn’t speak to the state of the union but opened with the war in Ukraine, followed by the worn-out Jan. 6 and then Roe vs. Wade.
While hypersensitive to any attacks on the executive branch, the president had no problem using the latter issue to chastise Supreme Court justices who were sitting directly in front of him. Biden also uttered the term “my predecessor” on 13 separate occasions to criticize Donald Trump, proving once and for all that the former president resides deeply in his head.
Biden actually waited to famously whisper until 20-plus minutes in, vowing not to let Republicans repeal Obamacare. And while he still plans to cure cancer with the “nightmare drug being used for COVID,” Biden vowed to lower the highest prescription drug costs in the world.
Interrupted several times by fellow Democrats chanting “four more years,” the adulation spurred on increased screaming by the octogenarian fibber. Proclaiming “inflation is down” and “the economy is booming,” Biden appeared as angry as he’s ever been amidst ever-present mumbling. If only he could have screamed at some kids to get off his yard!
In addition to making the long-discredited and false assertion that he cut the federal deficit by $1 trillion (expiring money from COVID relief is the real explanation), Biden wildly claimed that crime had gone down under his watch while stating that we must address increased gun violence.
Then, in clearly his most embarrassing moment of the evening, Biden raised the issue of Laken Riley, who was senselessly murdered in Athens, Georgia, by an illegal alien from Venezuela. Unfortunately, despite holding a token emblazoned with her name in his hand for all to see, he twice confused her name with that of Lincoln Riley, head football coach at USC.
Amazingly, Biden then gave lip service to securing America’s southern border some 40 minutes into his speech. Not to be forgotten, he waited nearly an hour to talk about the Israeli/Hamas conflict, spending most of it lecturing Israel on how to conduct a war.
Biden also attacked the rich for avoiding paying their fair share in taxes — did he realize this included his own son? Never mind that wealthy Silicon Valley elites are among his biggest donors. Though what would a speech be worth without a bit of class warfare thrown in?
While this year’s speech didn’t repeat last year’s when first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff exchanged a kiss on the lips, there was different drama in the gallery when Gold Star father Steve Nikoui interrupted Biden’s claim that “America is safer today than when I took office.”
Nikoui, who yelled out “Remember Abbey Gate,” is the parent of fallen Marine Kareem Nikoui, one of 13 U.S. military personnel who died in a terrorist bombing during Biden’s disastrous surrender in Afghanistan. Nikoui, who was escorted from the House gallery and arrested, also lost a second son to suicide.
At the end of his speech, Biden was still fuming, proving to some that he has the necessary vim and vigor to lead America to continued greatness. Yet after such an awe-inspiring performance, the president will likely require a well-deserved period of hibernation to fully recover. And that wouldn’t be a bad thing for those who still hope to have a country in eight more months.
Mark Figley is a political activist and guest columnist from Elida. His column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Lima News editorial board or AIM Media, owner of The Lima News.
