White House preps publicity blitz for State of the Union address

President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and top officials from the White House and Mr Biden’s cabinet will mount a full-scale public relations blitz to promote the Biden administration’s accomplishments and make a case that they should be given another four years to finish the job following his annual State of the Union address to Congress.

Mr Biden is set to deliver his yearly message to Congress on Thursday, two days after the Super Tuesday primary election contests that will, if the results are as expected, set up a November general election rematch with the man he defeated in 2020, former president Donald Trump.

In a statement, White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt said the president would “make the case to continue to build the economy from the bottom up and middle out that has led to record job creation, the strongest economy in the world, increased wages and household wealth, and lower prescription drug and energy costs”.

He said Mr Biden would also contrast that record with what he described as “the MAGA Republican agenda: rewarding billionaires and corporations with tax breaks, taking away rights and freedoms, and undermining our democracy”.

The president’s speech will coincide with a significant push for media exposure by Mr Biden’s team, which is looking to harness the national attention given the annual speech by placing him, Ms Harris and top aides on local media, as well as in other channels where they believe voters can be provided with relevant information on the administration’s record.

Mr LaBolt noted that the “fractured communications landscape” in the US today — the rise of streaming services and so-called “cord-cutting” along with the prevelance of handheld devices and the