GEOFF BENNETT: After President Biden's strong showing in last night's contests, one of his longshot challengers, Dean Phillips, suspended his campaign today.

Now, with Super Tuesday in the rearview, the president's focus turns to tomorrow night's State of the Union address.

I spoke earlier today with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about what to expect from President Biden's high-profile and high-stakes speech.

Karine Jean-Pierre, welcome back to the "NewsHour."

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, White House Press Secretary: Thank you, Geoff, so much for having me.

I appreciate the opportunity.

GEOFF BENNETT: So tomorrow night marks President Biden's third State of the Union address, but you could argue that this one is freighted with significance because it's essentially the hard launch of his reelection campaign.

And this is a president who is facing sinking poll numbers, concerns about his age, a progressive base that's been splintered over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

How is the president aiming to use this speech to address those concerns, while also conveying his vision for the future?

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, the president, as you just stated, third State of the Union address, he sees this as an important moment to talk directly to the American people.

Just think about it.

He will be talking to Americans who will be sitting on their couch, sitting in their kitchen table, having that direct conversation.

Millions of Americans are going to be tuning in.

And he understands this moment, how critical it is, how important it is.

He's going to talk about the last three years.

We have seen some historic achievements from this administration of the last two years.

If you think about the infrastructure bill, a bipartisan bill, in the last administration, it was a punchline.

Now we're going to see infrastructure a decade.

You think about the PACT Act that's going to help veterans and their families.

That was actually done in a bipartisan way as well.

But you think about the American Rescue Plan.

It was only passed by Democrats, which got the economy back on its feet, because, when he walked in, it was a tailspin that was happening.

And so the Americans -- the president is going to hear, is going to really speak to the American people.

They're going to hear from this president.

And he's going to talk about the progress that he wants to continue to make.

The president is an optimistic person.

He's going to talk about the future.

He's going to give his vision.

We got to continue to grow on that, lower costs for the American people, give them a little bit of breathing room.

That's so important.

We see how women's reproductive health is under attack, relentless attack by Republicans, elected officials.

So he's going to talk about that.

Our democracy is under attack.

Yes, we are at an inflection point here.

Our democracy, we got to continue to fight for that, making sure corporations, the wealthiest among us, are paying their fair share.

He always puts the middle class first.

He understands how important it is to deliver for the middle class.

So there are a lot of issues here that he wants to lean into.

GEOFF BENNETT: I have spoken with Democrats, Karine, supporters of his, who make the case that in some ways what matters more than what the president says is how he says it.

Does he appear energetic?

Does he appear to be vigorous, given the fact that poll after poll shows that majorities of Americans have serious concerns about his age?

How attuned is the White House to that?

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, here's what I would say to that.

This is a president, as we're talking about the achievements he's made in the first three years, he's done more in the first three years than presidents have done in two terms, in their two terms.

I mean, that is just a fact in what we have seen in the data, what he's been able to accomplish.

That's what this president has been able to do.

And why has that happened?

Because it takes experience.

It does.

It takes someone who has been in the Senate for 36 years, been vice president for eight years, and you see that experience because he's been able to deliver for the American people.

GEOFF BENNETT: And yet there is this persistent disconnect between the president's objectively popular policies like student debt relief... KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: Yes.

GEOFF BENNETT: ... reducing prescription drug costs, capping junk fees, et cetera, and his underwater approval ratings.

What's the White House's theory of the case as to why that is?

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, here's what I will say.

You just said it.

Every issue that the president is working on is popular, whether it's student loans, whether it is making sure that we're dealing with gun violence in a way that really helps to save and protect communities, save our young people's lives, right?

He was able to get a bipartisan deal on gun -- a gun prevention deal that we hadn't seen in 30 years.

That's also important.

I don't want to forget that.

Beating big pharma.

In that Inflation Reduction Act, he was able to put forth a piece of legislation that obviously is act -- is a law now that really fights back big pharma and makes sure that Medicare is able to negotiate for itself.

And that's something that Americans care about.

Look, we understand what Americans have gone through this past three years.

It is incredibly complicated, and we get it.

We get that it's going to take a little bit of time for Americans to see what this president has done.

GEOFF BENNETT: Hasn't the president been saying that for the better part of three years, that once the American people start to feel the impact of these policies, once the American people start to see these shovel-ready infrastructure projects begin, then they will fully understand the impact of the work that I have been doing?

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: Yes.

GEOFF BENNETT: He's been saying that for years.

Why hasn't that shifted?

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: And I understand that, but I also understand and we also understand that it takes time, right?

You asked me what the president's going to say and what he's going to do tomorrow.

He's going to lay that out.

He's going to lay out the achievements that he's done in the last three years.

It is so important.

We know millions, 20 million Americans are probably likely to tune in tomorrow.

That is important.

That is critical.

It is -- this is part of messaging, connecting with the American people, being able to say that over and over again, lay that out, lay it very, very clear for the American people.

And that's what he's going to do.

We see this as an important opportunity to talk directly to the American people.

The president's certainly, certainly looking forward to that.

GEOFF BENNETT: That is White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Thanks so much for your time this evening.

We appreciate it.

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: Thanks, Geoff.

Appreciate it.