In his prior trips to the House rostrum, President Joe Biden was flanked by symbols of unified Democratic power in Washington: VP Kamala Harris over his right shoulder and then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi over his left. 

When Biden arrives tonight for his State of the Union address, things will look different. A newly minted Republican speaker, Kevin McCarthy, will look down on Biden in a visual reminder of how power has shifted in Washington — and how Biden’s presidency will have to shift along with it.

Yes, tonight’s address comes just weeks before Biden expected to announce his reelection campaign. Softening inflation, persistent growth and record-low unemployment have given him a strong economic record to sell even as he suddenly finds himself battling Republicans on a new front over his willingness to confront China.

But we’re told not to expect a red-meat, campaign-style speech. Instead, expect a traditional presidential call for unity — and a subtler pitch for steady leadership over partisan chaos as Washington heads into a high-stakes standoff over the debt limit and long-term fiscal planning.

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Raghu Manavalan is the host and senior editor of POLITICO's Playbook Daily Briefing.
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