Arvid Ålund: Anyone who thinks Biden is an idiot should see his speech

An hour into his address to the nation on Thursday, Joe Biden hinted that the United States is in a battle with itself in 2024 for the survival of democracy, or more accurately a “battle for the soul of the country.”

That was the main theme of the campaign against Donald Trump in 2020, and it will be this time too, and the annual speech in Congress was a clear harbinger.

The President noted On his major economic reforms, he promised to defend abortion rights, spoke seriously about climate and immigration from Mexico, praised new NATO member Sweden, and waved to Ulf Kristersson on stage.

But above all, he talked about democracy. He has compared Trump to Ronald Reagan, especially on foreign policy, attacked Republicans in Congress with harshness and openly and directly criticized the now politicized Supreme Court.

He was neither tired nor cranky, on the contrary, he seemed to be having a blast. He clearly wins by raising his voice and unleashing his inner rage. When he lowers his accent and speaks in his classic, slightly pleading manner, he sounds old and outdated. The more it is seen and heard, the better.

The American economy is doing well Now by most standards it's like a train — unemployment is 3.7 percent and growth is about 3 percent — but Biden's confidence numbers are still strikingly low. This is mainly due to his age and the fact that food prices are much higher than when he took office.

But he can certainly win, especially if inflation continues to fall and Trump continues to be Trump. He is strong within the Republican Party, but not among the median voters who ultimately decide the election results.

Sure, you will To become even, incomparably noisy, it will likely be identified during the escape and will very likely be followed by several weeks or months of chaos. But you can at least be confident that after tonight's speech, Biden is a stronger candidate than he was the day before.

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