NBC News' Stephen Hayes criticizes Joe Biden for being optimistic in State of the Union speech
Hayes: “I don't think the state of the union is strong, I think the state of the union is tired”
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From the March 1, 2022, edition of NBC News' State of the Union Broadcast
LESTER HOLT (CO-HOST): And Stephen, were there any bipartisan boxes checked that you didn't expect when you heard the president talk about, no, fund the police? What are your thoughts?
STEPHEN F. HAYES (GUEST): Yeah, Lester, I think that was the moment, but there wasn't much more than that. He talked about a unity agenda. He ticked through four unity agenda items. But I think the rest of the speech just felt off, it felt like a president who was, you know, high in popular approval right now, and has a country that thinks we're on the right track. That's what the speech felt like. But in fact he's mired in the high 30s in his approval rating, and 3 out of 4 people think the country is on the wrong track, and I don't think he did anything to really speak to those people who are concerned about the direction of the country. I don't think the state of the union is strong, I think the state of the union is tired.