What Went Down During President Biden’s Speech To Congress

Biden came to this address with many successes that he and his administration are proud of. He discussed a range of policy proposals that are clearly progressive in nature. It’s clear, though, that Biden, like every Democratic president before him, has to walk a tightrope when it comes to race. When race and racial inequality were mentioned, the topics seemed to be mentioned as a way of checking boxes, but it’s a reminder that Biden, even as he and his administration work to advance some racially progressive policies, is a pragmatic politician who thinks that the middle is preferred to the poles. It’ll be interesting to see how Black activists respond to this address.