President Joe Biden is set to deliver his first State of the Union address March 1 at 6 p.m. (PST), and there’s no shortage of issues for the commander in chief to discuss: the beginnings of a Russo-Ukrainian war, high rates of inflation on an international scale and ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, to name a few.

The address comes five days after Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine, which Biden has condemned as a “brutal assault on the people of Ukraine” and responded to with economic sanctions on Russia. 

“Putin is the aggressor; Putin chose this war,” Biden said in a Feb. 24 White House briefing. “And now he and his country will bear the consequences … The United States will defend every inch of NATO territory with the full force of American power.”

A Pew Research Center study also noted that 71% of Americans believe the president and Congress’ top priority should be strengthening the environment. This data revealed the climate crisis to be a topic of significant contention between Democrats and Republicans, with about two-thirds of Democrats saying efforts to reduce the global impact of climate change should be prioritized by Biden’s administration compared to 11% of Republicans.

Other top issues include reducing the cost of health care, followed by addressing the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The same Pew Research Center study found that, whereas 78% of respondents in 2021 felt the pandemic should be a priority for the president and Congress, only 60% of respondents continue to view the viral outbreak as a primary concern.

Biden’s disapproval rating hit a new high in December 2021, with voters pointing blame at the president’s handling of the economy as the country faces a spike in consumer prices and general cost of living. A Gallup poll taken between Feb. 1 and Feb. 17 found only 37% of U.S. adults approve of Biden’s handling of the economy, and 41% of Americans approve of the job Biden is doing overall.

Ronald Klain, the White House Chief of Staff, told House Democrats Feb. 23 he hopes the State of the Union address will boost Biden’s poll numbers by demonstrating leadership and empathy on top issues like national security, COVID-19 and inflation. He also revealed to CNN that senators and viewers alike can look forward to a few “good surprises” in Biden’s remarks.

“These speeches go through many, many drafts,” constitutional lawyer Michael Waldman, who is also president of the Brennan Center for Justice and a former presidential speechwriter, told the Associated Press. “And I would bet they’re starting some new drafts right now.”

This is a developing story. Follow The Panther on social media and at www.thepanthernewspaper.org for updates.