Takeaways from Biden’s State of the Union address: Combative attacks on a foe with no name

WASHINGTON — The State of the Union address is one of the durable set pieces of the presidency, a forum that almost always favors the speaker in a one-way conversation with millions of Americans. HE WHO WON’T BE NAMED President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol. “You can’t lead America with ancient ideas that only take us back.” ABORTION ON THE BALLOT Maria Shriver, left, Kate Cox, of Dallas and Latorya Beasley of Birmingham, Ala., stand before President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address. The cost you pay now.” WAR IN GAZA GETS ITS MOMENT Biden promises ‘no U.S. boots on the ground’ in Gaza The bloody conflict between Israel and Hamas was an unavoidable backdrop to Biden’s speech. Folks at home, does anybody really think the tax code is fair?” Biden said there should be a minimum tax rate of 25% on billionaires, saying “no billionaire should pay a lower federal tax rate than a teacher, a sanitation worker or a nurse.” The president talked about cracking down on junk fees that can chip away at Americans’ budgets and he criticized snack companies for “shrinkflation,” which means getting less product for the same price.