Biden Jump-Starts 2024 Race in State of the Union Aimed at Trump

President Joe Biden sought to breathe new life into his reelection rematch against Donald Trump, delivering a spirited and sharply political State of the Union speech that sparred with Republicans and targeted an opponent he didn’t ever name.

Biden’s speech, lasting a little over an hour, laid out his pitch for a second term and highlights from his first, while repeatedly taking aim only at his “predecessor.”

Joe Biden, lower left, during a State of the Union address at the US Capitol on March 7.

Photographer: Julia Nikhinson/Bloomberg

The White House used the speech to more sharply frame the reelection race that, as of now, polls show Trump winning as voters express doubts about Biden’s fitness at age 81. ...