In State of the Union, Biden to sharpen contrast with Trump

investing.com:

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — U.S. President Joe Biden will use his fourth State of the Union address on Thursday night to sharpen distinctions between him and Republican opponent Donald Trump, tout the country's strong economy, push the rich to pay more taxes and try to ease voters' concerns about his advanced age.

Biden's annual address, an event that stems from the U.S. Constitution's requirement that a president report information to Congress «from time to time» on the state of the union, will be held at 9 p.m. (1400 GMT) before a rare joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and a nationally televised audience.

It may be Biden's biggest opportunity this year to reach the millions of voters weighing whether to vote for him, choose former President Trump, who pushed out challenger Nikki Haley this week, or to sit home on Election Day, Nov. 5.

Polls show Biden, 81, and Trump, 77, closely tied in hotly contested battleground states where voting preferences can swing either to Republicans or Democrats. Most U.S. voters, however, are not enthusiastic about either or about rematch between the two.

Biden will go into the well of the House chamber looking to convince voters that he is fighting to protect democracy from Trump — who continues to lie about his 2020 election loss and proposed jailing political enemies. Biden will also vow to protect abortion rights from Republicans, and lower costs for Americans buffeted by high prices.

The president will renew his crusade Thursday to make wealthy Americans and large corporations pay more in taxes, unveiling new proposals including higher minimum taxes for companies and Americans with wealth over $100 million.

Any such tax reform is unlikely