Podcast Summary:

The Political Scene | The New Yorker
Episode: What Biden Didn’t Say in the State of the Union
Date: February 10, 2023
Host/Panel: Susan B. Glasser, Jane Mayer, Evan Osnos

Overview: Main Theme and Purpose

This episode centers on President Joe Biden’s second State of the Union address, focusing less on what he said and more on the significant political issues he avoided or only touched on briefly. New Yorker writers Susan Glasser, Jane Mayer, and Evan Osnos unpack Biden’s rhetorical strategy, the bipartisan spectacle of the event, and what the omissions reveal about the administration’s priorities and anxieties as the 2024 election looms.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The State of the Union as Campaign Speech

• Biden’s Reelection Posture: The hosts agree Biden used the address as a prelude to a reelection campaign.
  • Quote (Evan Osnos, 03:58):

    "He came about as close to the edge of the pool as you possibly can and limbered up without actually diving in."

• Demonstrating Vigor: Biden was energetic, even relishing the “call and response” with GOP hecklers on Medicare and Social Security.
  • Quote (Jane Mayer, 04:33):

    "He seemed like he really enjoyed it... rope a doped them into basically all coming along and saying we'll protect Social Security and Medicare. Whether he planned it or not, he pulled it off really well."

• Use of Republicans as Foil: Biden's confrontational moments with Republicans over entitlement programs were seen as strategic, drawing effective political contrasts.
• Borrowing Populist Language: Biden adopted a populist approach, focusing on “kitchen-table” issues such as insulin prices and junk fees, reminiscent of strategies used by past Democratic politicians like Bill Clinton.

2. The “Missing Topics”: What Biden Avoided

• Abortion and Supreme Court: Brief, passive mention of abortion rights and the overturning of Roe v. Wade—a striking omission given its political significance in the 2022 midterms.
  • Quote (Jane Mayer, 28:47):

    "This is a speech that is touting his successes, but actually, I think many people in the Democratic Party viewed it as a lost opportunity. The issue of reproductive rights for women... was a lot of the reason why they won the Senate."

• Foreign Policy, Ukraine, and China:
  • Ukraine: Biden devoted less than a minute to Ukraine, despite the ongoing war and massive U.S. aid.
    Quote (Susan Glasser, 02:44):

    "President Biden spent well under a minute discussing the conflict at all, which to me was pretty shocking when you consider that Washington has... poured into the largest European conflict since the end of World War II."

  • China and the Spy Balloon: Surprisingly, the now-infamous Chinese “spy balloon” was not directly mentioned, even as public and political obsession mounted.
    • Quote (Evan Osnos, 19:30):

      "I think it was a surprise... people assumed that China would be an easy point for him to make."

    • The panel explains the administration’s cautiousness: the issue was “in play” and sensitive diplomacy was ongoing.

3. Reasons Behind the Omissions

• Poll-Driven Speech: The panel suspects many omissions stem from polling and a desire to avoid divisive or potentially unpopular subjects as Biden’s approval numbers remain low.
  • Quote (Jane Mayer, 07:14):

    "I felt this was probably a pretty poll driven speech... the threat from China, the war in Ukraine, the issue of abortion... these are not things to get people's moods up, so they skipped him."

• Political Risk Avoidance: Biden appears to be avoiding topics that could fracture bipartisan support (e.g., Ukraine) or deepen party divides (e.g., abortion, court reform).
• Shift in Political Strategy: The speech reflects a move from big-picture, global "defense of democracy" framing to more bread-and-butter, micro-policy announcements.
• Foreign Policy’s Political Downsides: The longer a foreign issue gains public attention, the greater the risk for a president, especially as support for Ukraine aid softens among both Democrats and Republicans.

4. Notable Analysis and Memorable Moments

A. The Performative Spectacle of the State of the Union

• The hosts draw an analogy to monarchical court pageantry, highlighting how politicians jockey for the spotlight.
  • Quote (Jane Mayer, 17:17):

    "The State of the Union is... almost like monarchical moment... people watch what happens the way that court watchers might watch a king."

• Biden’s “American Dream speech” is contrasted with Republican “American carnage,” noting Biden’s embrace of popular economic policies typically associated with GOP populism.

B. On Biden’s Abortion Record and Personal Discomfort

• Jane Mayer notes Biden’s evolving, sometimes conflicted stance due to his long political history and Catholic background.
  • Quote (Jane Mayer, 29:12):

    "It's hard to tell whether it's because of his personal history of it... he said he did not think that a woman has the sole right to say what should happen with her body. That was the quote. His position has changed over the years... but there's still a squeamishness, I feel, in the way that he talks about it."

C. Foreign Policy Framing: Autocracy vs. Democracy

• Biden ad-libbed a memorable line about China and Xi Jinping:
  • Quote (Joe Biden, 26:15):

    "Autocracy has grown weaker, not stronger. Name me a world leader who'd change places with Xi Jinping. Name me one. Name me one."

  • Osnos explains this reflects Biden’s sincere, long-held belief in America’s comparative resilience.

D. The "Balloon" and China’s Ambiguity

• The spy balloon saga encapsulated the administration’s dilemma: balancing toughness on China with not escalating tensions for a domestic audience already alarmed.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Mitt Romney “Sick Puppy” Moment: 01:16–01:50
• Biden’s Energetic Performance & Republican Heckling: 03:58–05:14
• Adoption of Populist Economic Rhetoric: 06:37–09:13
• What Was Omitted (Abortion, Supreme Court, China, Ukraine): 02:44–14:31
• Ukraine Discussion & Polling Trends: 13:00–16:31
• China/Balloon, National Security Divide: 19:30–25:45
• Abortion and Biden’s Personal History: 28:38–31:05
• State of the Union as Pageantry: 17:17

Notable Quotes

• Evan Osnos (on Biden’s posture):

  “He came about as close to the edge of the pool as you possibly can and limbered up without actually diving in.” (03:58)

• Jane Mayer (on the spectacle):

  “The State of the Union is... almost like monarchical moment... people watch what happens the way that court watchers might watch a king.” (17:17)

• Susan Glasser (on omissions):

  “One big takeaway for me is that Joe Biden doesn’t want to talk about the rest of the world.” (11:57)

• Joe Biden (on Xi Jinping):

  “Autocracy has grown weaker, not stronger. Name me a world leader who changed places with Xi Jinping. Name me one. Name me one.” (26:15)

Conclusion – The Subtext of Silence

The hosts emphasize that what was left unsaid in Biden’s State of the Union is as politically revealing as any applause line. Biden’s avoidance of deeply contentious or complex topics—abortion, the Supreme Court, foreign policy hot spots—reflects not just an electoral strategy, but also the deep ambivalence and risk-avoidance that currently shape Democratic politics. The speech, they suggest, is a tightly-polled, cautiously optimistic effort to prime the ground for Biden’s expected 2024 bid while dodging the issues that could cost him coalitional support.