Livestream: Biden calls for unity in 2nd State of the Union nation

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden is set to deliver a State of the Union address calling for unity as the deeply divided nation heads into another presidential election cycle.

The president urged Republicans to work with him to “finish the job” of rebuilding the economy and uniting the nation despite a slightly divided Congress and deteriorating relations with China. I plan to call.

Tuesday night’s annual address is Biden’s second in office and the first to have a Republican majority in the House.

The president makes an encouraging assessment of the state of the country. Rather than rolling out flashy policy proposals.

Watch the State of the Union address here.

It comes at a time when the country is struggling to make sense of the crosscurrents at home and abroad, including economic uncertainty, an exhausting war in Ukraine, and rising tensions with China, all of which threaten the chances of re-election. We are cautiously assessing Biden’s suitability for high.

The speech comes after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy called on Biden to negotiate spending cuts as part of a deal to raise the debt ceiling. said the debt ceiling should be raised without warning.

“America’s story is one of progress and resilience,” declares Biden, according to an excerpt released by the White House. And now, two years after the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots, he declares the country’s democracy “unyielding and unbroken.” increase.

Despite Biden’s pleas for unity, his words may fall on deaf ears.

In the months leading up to the 2022 midterm elections, Republicans have pledged to spend a lot of time investigating the Biden administration if elected. A congressional panel is a promise they are trying to deliver on by launching an investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents and his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings, as well as other means by which the Republican Party wants to attack the president.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pledged to “be respectful” during a speech on Monday, calling on Biden to refrain from using the phrase “extreme MAGA Republican.”

“I don’t tear up speeches. I don’t play games,” McCarthy told reporters, referring to Pelosi’s dramatic actions after President Donald Trump’s final State of the Union address. .

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has gained national prominence as Trump’s press secretary.

The White House and lawmakers from both parties have invited guests on the floor of the House of Representatives designed to bring their political messages home.parents of tire nicholsHe was brutally beaten by police in Memphis and later died. Among those expected to sit with First Lady Jill Biden. Other Biden guests include rock star/humanitarian Bono and the 26-year-old who disarmed the shooter in last month’s Monterey Park, Calif., shooting.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.