| Tuesday's State of the Union address took place in an atmosphere of international tension unseen in years, and in the midst of recovering from a once-in-a-century pandemic. "The result," writes columnist Jennifer Rubin, "was almost two separate speeches: One (on democracy and national security) was historic and inspiring; the other (on his domestic agenda) was detailed and targeted to reassure Americans nervous about inflation." The address's opening section on Ukraine, Rubin writes, was "as inspiring as any section of a State of the Union, in large part because it was about something bigger and more compelling than politics as usual. Moreover, it was a rare display of bipartisanship, and a reminder that in facing external threats we can rise to the occasion." Outside of foreign policy, though, Biden's words were less imaginative. "Much of his domestic agenda was not novel but rebranded," Rubin writes. "Biden clearly heard [voters] on the inflation front, devoting more of the speech to that issue than one might have expected." She concludes, "It was a solid speech, more bipartisan than one could have imagined." And if you're looking for more analysis of Biden's address, you can catch up on the live reactions from our team of columnists, including E.J. Dionne, Ruth Marcus and Eugene Robinson.  (Al Drago/Bloomberg) It was a solid speech, more bipartisan than one could have imagined. By Jennifer Rubin ● Read more » | | | | There was no pivot to the center, which he desperately needs if he's going to reassure wary voters. By Henry Olsen ● Read more » | | | | How can a sabotaged president be expected to lead? By Dana Milbank ● Read more » | | | | Washington Post opinion columnists offered live commentary on Biden's speech. Read a transcript. Read more » | | | As we started driving from Kyiv, we saw warplanes in the sky and it smelled like burning. "The war is already here. Is this my country?" By Iuliia Mendel ● Read more » | | | | Ukraine for years has been Putin's most sensitive issue — one where his normal political calculus doesn't seem to apply. By David Ignatius ● Read more » | | | | Foreign policy columnists Max Boot and Josh Rogin will be online at noon EST on March 2 to answer reader questions on Russia and Ukraine. By Josh Rogin and Max Boot ● Read more » | | | | Our expectation of interactivity has us "participating" in Ukraine's war. By Molly Roberts ● Read more » | | | | What Germans are already calling a "revolution" in their security policy represents a strategic defeat for Vladimir Putin. By Charles Lane ● Read more » | | | | Overnight, it can turn a financially sound economy into a basket case. By Sebastian Mallaby ● Read more » | | | What I hope will cause outrage and prompt change somehow draws only a day or two of attention and then fades. By Donovan Price ● Read more » | | | | In every respect, their criticisms are nonsense. By Radley Balko ● Read more » | | | | If your national security correspondent is getting famous for turning her talents on her own people, you have a problem. By Erik Wemple ● Read more » | | | | Don't believe Republicans for a second when they say they abhor 'judicial activism.' By Paul Waldman ● Read more » | | | |
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