Ukraine Will Be Front and Center at the State of the Union - Horowitz

Ukraine Will Be Front and Center at the State of the Union - Horowitz

The admirable war reporting occurring across the various cable news networks, amplified by every day Ukrainians capturing the action on their smartphones and distributing it via social media is driving home to us here in the United States and to the rest of the world, the courage and fighting spirit of a people defending their homeland against heavy odds and the utter brutality of a completely unjustified Russian invasion.

This is a fight that is just beginning; the ultimate outcome remains to be determined. It is already apparent, however, that Vladimir Putin miscalculated, failing to anticipate the fierce defense mounted by the Ukrainians, the willingness of Western nations to quickly supply more arms and other kinds of aid, and the far-reaching and unprecedented sanctions that are already causing him problems on the home front.  

Perhaps, most of all, the Russian president underestimated Joe Biden’s ability to unify and rally NATO, counting on the damage done to NATO during the Trump presidency--when its key member nations lost faith in American leadership-- to be more lasting. President Biden’s persistent and effective diplomatic efforts have succeeded in reversing Mr. Trump’s erratic attempts to undermine the organization that has been one of the keys to deterring Russian expansion and keeping the peace in Europe since it was founded in 1949.  As Condoleezza Rice, who served as secretary of state under George W. Bush and is an expert on Russia, told Harris Faulkner on Fox News Sunday, “He’s (Biden) managed to unite NATO in ways I didn’t think I would ever see again after the end of the Cold War.”

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Ukraine will be the most important topic when Joe Biden delivers his first State of the Union Address at 9:00 PM tonight. Job 1 will be to drive home to a domestic audience the importance of continuing to stand up to Russian aggression and the value of our now strengthened alliances to restoring a world order that does not permit nations to invade other nations without major consequences simply because they have the power to do so.  It is also imperative to use the speech to begin to prepare Americans for the sacrifices that will flow from this new conflict, such as the likelihood of higher prices at the gas pump for the foreseeable future.  

Before the Russian invasion, President Biden’s remarks would have probably centered around touting some of the good economic news that has been getting lost, reminding voters of other accomplishments, such as the adoption of a large-scale infrastructure funding bill, and resetting his domestic agenda. While Mr. Biden will still likely touch on these items, Ukraine and all that surrounds it is all but certain to be the dominant subject. 

This does provide President Biden with the opportunity to drive home the importance of standing up for and strengthening democracy around the world and at home. The invasion of Ukraine provides a prime example of the increasing risks we face in a world in which autocracies led by dangerous strong men have gained momentum and our own democracy is under threat.

The President can draw on what remains a fairly deep well of bipartisan support for his actions in Ukraine and the importance of deterring any further Russian expansion.  The voices of Mr. Trump and a few others on the “America First” right who continue to praise Putin and spend all their energy viciously attacking Mr. Biden--despite the brutal invasion--sound discordant and off-key.  Fortunately, they are a distinct minority even within the Republican party.

By reminding the American people, of our unique and mainly positive role in the world and the universal values of democracy and freedom that we stand for, President Biden can make his State of the Union address one that helps bring the nation together in support of the brave Ukrainians.  It can be a speech that appeals to the broad American middle and stands the test of time.

 

Rob Horowitz is a strategic and communications consultant who provides general consulting, public relations, direct mail services and polling for national and state issue organizations, various non-profits, businesses, and elected officials and candidates. He is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island