Biden promised optimism. Vaccinations, jobs, infrastructure. He said the union is strong. Republicans scowled. Democrats clapped on cue. It looked like unity in wide shots. The close-ups told the truth: a country rehearsing civility while planning its next brawl.
Applause was less about content than choreography. Every line was a campaign ad, every reaction a soundbite. The state of the union isn’t strong. It’s fractured. You don’t patch fractures with slogans.
For Americans, the real state is measured in grocery aisles, gas pumps, rent checks. None of that gets applause lines.