In a bid to set out his platform for a second term and convince United States citizens of his capabilities to govern the country’s helm of affairs for another four years, President Joe Biden made his case loud during the State of the Union address that he is ready to continue the job despite concerns surrounding his age and abilities to meet the demands of the nation.
Biden’s sixty-eight minutes of energetic and passionate speech reflected his administration’s achievements and lashed out at his Republican rival, Donald Trump, even though he didn’t mention his name but referred to him as “Predecessor.”
In my career, I’ve been told I’m too young, and I’m too old.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 8, 2024
But I’ve seen what endures.
The very idea of America that we are all created equal. We’ve never fully lived up to that idea, but we’ve never fully walked away from it either.
And I won’t walk away from it now. pic.twitter.com/583zZuBe65
President Biden delivered a strong and powerful State of the Union.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) March 8, 2024
With his passion, he showed he is ready to keep up the fight for our fundamental freedoms. pic.twitter.com/rpLKPHhKcU
Examining public perception and the social media buzz conversations after the State of the Union address on social platforms using Sprinklr, records show there were 1.59 million mentions, reaching 27.45 billion. Also, a quick divide into the sentiment score shows that 24.59% had positive mentions while 75.41% had negative mentions. This net sentiment score measures the overall sentiment of online conversations of the State of the Union.
Additionally, several prominent themes surfaced during these discussions, centering around Trump, Americans, and President Biden. Positive mentions highlighted keywords such as union, president, Biden, good, policies, and more, offering deeper insights into the social media discourse. These keywords indicate that certain citizens have conveyed their confidence, believing that Joe Biden is the suitable candidate for the upcoming November elections, and they are inclined to vote in his favor. Furthermore, some opinions asserted that the address stood out as one of the most commendable State of the Union speeches.
🇺🇸 Hi, folks. Look, I cried last night …
— D. Earl Stephens (@EarlOfEnough) March 8, 2024
-I cried not so much for the man, but for the moment the man was meeting.
-I cried because we’ve heard a lot of guff from a lot of people who want to remind us every other damn minute that the man is too old, and out of touch.
-I… pic.twitter.com/ZgZWWYlne2
Talked to my dad — who voted for Donald Trump in 2016 — this morning. He said he watched the State of the Union last night & that he’s never been more excited about voting for President Biden in this election. I know there are so many people like my dad who feel this way.
— Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) March 8, 2024
President Biden just delivered his State of the Union address.
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) March 8, 2024
He was sharp.
He was in command.
He was the leader America needs.
Four more years. pic.twitter.com/x62Ywv2SSB
Nevertheless, every coin has two sides. Alongside the positive mentions, there were also negative sentiments. Users articulated significant concerns, prominently the border walls crisis, which continues to be a major issue. Beyond the border, other negative keywords emerged, including tax, people, Americans, and more. These observations point to users enumerating the challenges related to a high standard of living, such as recent spikes in grocery prices and taxes.
A majority of Americans say they are worried about gasoline and transportation costs.
— Daniel Turner (@DanielTurnerPTF) March 8, 2024
Gas prices were mentioned ZERO times during the State of the Union.
Joe Biden doesn't care about your wallet.
We don’t need @POTUS giving an angry speech in order for us to understand the state of the Union. We see it and feel it everyday.
— ˜”*°• 𝔾𝕨𝕪𝕟𝕟 •°*”˜ (@GwynninPA) March 8, 2024
We feel it when we buy groceries, fill our tanks, pay bills, turn down invites to join friends for dinner, tell our kids no when they ask to see a… pic.twitter.com/JMHVmNdYkT
Joe Biden is going to add more to the national debt than any other president in history by the time his first term is done.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 8, 2024
As the nation looks ahead to the November elections, these diverse perspectives and the closely predicted race emphasize the challenging task ahead for Biden in convincing undecided voters and securing a successful bid for another term in office. The dynamic interplay of public discourse, including references to Trump, continues to shape the narrative, setting the stage for a politically charged and closely watched election season.
Author: Bowale Odukale
