In the Republican reply, newly installed Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders spent 11 minutes deconstructing Biden’s hour and 12 minute (State of the Union) speech with lines such as this: “Being a mom to three young children taught me not to believe every story I hear. So forgive me for not believing much of anything I heard tonight from President Biden … Democrats have failed you. They know it. And you know it. ”Sounding Reaganesque, she said, “government exists not to rule the people, but to serve the people.” Then she brought up the age issue, which is bound to be a factor in the 2024 campaign, and delivered this zinger: “At 40, I’m the youngest governor to head my state. At 80, he’s the oldest president in American history. I’m the first woman to lead my state. He’s the first man to surrender his presidency to a woke mob that can’t even tell you what a woman is.”

Wham.■