The annual State of the Union Address is set to take place on Thursday night, with First Lady Jill Biden hosting 20 guests who each symbolize themes central to President Joe Biden’s speech. The White House stated that these guests were chosen because they represent issues or themes to be addressed by the President in his speech, or embody the administration’s policies at work for the American people. The second gentleman, Mr. Douglas Emhoff, will also be joining the first lady in the viewing box.
One significant focus of President Biden’s speech appears to be abortion policy and the legal aftermath of the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The decision overturned the 1973 case of Roe v. Wade, giving individual states the power to regulate abortion. One of the guests, Kate Cox, a Texas woman and mother of two, sued to get an abortion in her state but was blocked by the Texas Supreme Court. Another guest is Latorya Beasley, whose IVF embryo transfer was canceled due to a recent Alabama Supreme Court decision on wrongful death laws related to IVF procedures.
The guest list also includes individuals emblematic of President Biden’s foreign policy concerns, such as Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and U.S. Navy Cmdr. Shelby Nikitin. The attendance of Ms. Kristersson highlights Sweden’s new membership in NATO, while Cmdr. Nikitin’s presence reflects her leadership in protecting maritime shipping near the Red Sea.
President Biden’s invitation to the State of the Union also extends to individuals representing his administration’s efforts in economic stimulus, job creation, and green energy projects. The guest list includes individuals like Garnett Johnson, mayor of Augusta, Georgia, and Natalie King, founder of Dunamis Charge, the first African American women-owned electric vehicle charger manufacturing company in the U.S.
The State of the Union address is expected to touch on various issues like gun control, student loan forgiveness, healthcare, and efforts to improve cancer treatment. Guests invited for these themes include gun control activist Jazmin Cazares, middle school teacher Keenan Jones, oncology nurse Kris Blackley, and advocate Maria Shriver. The diverse guest list reflects President Biden’s commitment to addressing a range of issues impacting American society.