How do we know when President Joe Biden is genuinely angry and when he's just having a senior moment, like the "fiery" State of the Union address that was nothing but yelling and threatening the Supreme Court to their faces? Biden seems to get angry very easily, challenging potential voters to push-up contests and calling them fat.

NBC News reports that behind the scenes — where Biden is as sharp as a tack — he's grown angry and anxious about his re-election effort. Anxious we can understand: Donald Trump leads him in the polls in the swing states.

NBC News reports: 

During internal discussions, he’ll press aides about which parts of his record to highlight in different states, said a second person who is familiar with the matter.

Surrounded by protective aides who want to minimize the chances of a flub, the 81-year-old president has chafed at restraints that he sees as counter to his natural instincts as a retail politician, a third person familiar with internal discussions said.

He has felt cocooned at times and has been eager to get out more, meet voters face-to-face and take the fight directly to Trump, said the third person and a fourth also familiar with the matter who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss campaign strategy and the president’s private views.

By all means, get him out there more. If he wants to take the fight directly to Donald Trump, Trump has offered to debate him anytime, anywhere.

Behind the scenes too?

Is NBC News trying to light a fire under him? They've been doing all they can to drag him along.