In his first re-election speech of 2024, Joe Biden tried to focus the coming year’s theme on the threat that Donald Trump poses to American democracy.
The speech came in the context of the third anniversary of Saturday’s attack on the Capitol and was also meant to commemorate what happened that day, while polls showed significant numbers of Republicans embracing conspiracy theories or downplaying what actually happened then .
“Donald Trump is trying to steal history, just like he’s trying to steal the election,” Biden said.
All major cable news networks will broadcast the speech live and in full screen, even Fox News.
Biden even thought several times today about the valve created by Rupert Murdoch.
At one point, Biden referred to the $787.5 million settlement Fox News reached with Dominion Voting Systems last year “for the lies they told about election fraud.” Trump’s embrace of falsehoods that the election was rigged and stolen from him, despite losing dozens of lawsuits, fueled the attack on the Capitol.
The speech, delivered near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, included many references to George Washington, as Biden called the first president’s decision to abdicate at the end of the Revolutionary War a major moment in history that established a democratic norm that defined the America, albeit a country that Trump violated.
Biden called Trump “despicable” and almost called his rival a “sick bastard” in 2020 and likely 2024 for laughing at last year’s hammer attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband’s skull at the couple’s San Francisco home. The sitting president became increasingly stern in his speech as the speech progressed, acting as if he was “sick” before pausing and composing himself. Biden then received much applause from the crowd.
The president also criticized Trump’s allies and supporters, noting that some who condemned the Jan. 6 attack no longer do so.
“Over time, politics, fear and money intervened,” Biden said. “And these MAGA voices who know the truth about Trump and January 6th have abandoned the truth and our democracy. You have made your choice. Now all of us – Democrats, independents, mainstream Republicans – must make our choice.”
The speech specifically took aim at Trump and didn’t even mention those rivals, assuming the former president would win the Republican nomination. Trump had a big lead, but recent polls show former UN ambassador Nikki Haley gaining ground in New Hampshire.
Biden noted that a convicted “January 6th insurgent” sang on a cell phone during Trump’s kickoff rally from jail while footage of the January 6th uprising played on the big screen behind him… Can you believe? It looks like something out of a fairy tale – a bad fairy tale.”
Other parts of the speech appeared to be an attempt to concede to Trump, such as when Biden repeatedly used the word “loser” to describe the events of 2020. “I won the election and he was the loser,” Biden said.
Later, Trump addressed a crowd in Sioux Center, IA, telling them, “We’ve never been closer to World War III than we are now.” There is only one candidate in this race whose job it will be to protect America from day one to save it from a Biden disaster.”
The former president also tried to claim that the media twisted his comments to Sean Hannity last month in which he said he would not be a dictator “except on day one” and on the border and drilling issues. Trump complained that media coverage of those comments ignored the fact that he also said, “After this I will no longer be a dictator.” Biden noted in his speech that Trump “kept saying he would be a dictator from day one. day after day.”
Speaking live with MSNBC’s Katy Tur shortly after Biden’s speech ended, NBC News White House correspondent Mike Memoli noted that the president has changed in tone and content in recent weeks, which is reflected in today’s speech.
“The biggest strategic difference in the way the Biden team looks at this election and politics is that you can’t get into a fight with Donald Trump on a daily basis without giving up your ability to set your own agenda. ” , he said. Memo. “So this represents what the campaign is saying, not a shift, but an intensification of the message that, as President Biden just said, will be the 2024 voting theme: Will we protect our democracy, will we protect our democracy in the future secured?” ”
On Fox News, one of the hosts took Biden’s speech very personally.
“He did a survey on this network that more people in America watch than any other network in the country,” Martha MacCallum said, apparently referring to Biden’s comments about the Dominion Accord. MacCallum told her guests and viewers, “So I don’t know if they feel that this represents someone who is president of all of America.”
Source: Deadline
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
