Biden touts his economic record, calls for more aid to Ukraine

Hibapress
US President Joe Biden praised his economic record on Thursday evening and called for more aid for Ukraine during his State of the Union speech.
Speaking before both houses of Congress, Biden tried, eight months before the presidential elections, to convince voters to grant him a second term while defending his economic record. The White House tenant thus estimated that his policies supported the economy and protected the freedoms of Americans.
Biden, who also urged members of Congress to support a new round of military aid to Ukraine, once again emphasized the urgency of banning assault weapons to combat the scourge of mass shootings.
The long-awaited speech at times seemed to shift into election campaign mode with attacks targeting former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party over abortion and immigration.
According to the latest polls, Trump holds a slight lead over Biden in a head-to-head presidential election in November.
Much to the frustration of Biden and his aides, polls show that many voters give Biden poor marks for his handling of the economy, with many blaming him in particular for the rising cost of basic goods and housing prices.
The White House hopes that this speech and its delivery before a joint session of Congress, attended by Supreme Court justices and top officials of the country, will boost the president’s chances of winning a second term next November.