On Friday, President Joe Biden gave remarks at Valley Forge regarding the third anniversary of January 6, 2021. Biden spoke about George Washington and his own accomplishments, before engaging in fearmongering rhetoric about the anniversary and his likely opponent in November, former and potentially future President Donald Trump.
In case there's any doubt that Biden and his reelection campaign are focused on January 6 and wondering "is democracy still America's sacred cause," the president began his remarks by pointing out that "the topic of my speech today is deadly serious and I, uh, think it needs to be made at the outset of this campaign." He wasn't kidding, as he described January 6 as "a day forever seared in our memory because that day we nearly lost America, lost it all."
BIDEN: "We nearly lost America" on January 6th. pic.twitter.com/OLuHFybdeJ
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 5, 2024
Biden went on to share tyhat he "attended the funeral for police officers who died as a result of that day," meaning January 6, "because of Donald Trump's lies." He doubled down by claiming "they died because these lies brougth a mob to Washington."
The only person who died on January 6 was Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Capitol Police officer. While many have tried to connect the January 7 death of Officer Brian Sicknick to January 6, he died from natural causes after suffering two strokes.
BIDEN: "Jill and I attended the funerals of police officers who died as a result of" January 6th. pic.twitter.com/seSBwsfr6G
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 5, 2024
The president left out important context, too, such as how on January 6 Trump called on people at the Capitol to "remain peaceful." Biden's remarks were also quite hypocritical.
Biden also railed against derilictions of duty, claiming what Trump did "was among the worst derilictions of duty by an American president in history." One could say that Biden has engaged in such a deriliction, including and especially when it comes to his mishandling of the crisis at the southern border. According to RealClearPolitics' (RCP) polling of issues, immigration is Biden's worst, as he has just a 32 percent approval rating, while 62 percent disapprove.
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Biden went on to whine that "in trying to rewrite the facts of January 6, Trump was trying to steal history the same way he tried to steal the election."
BIDEN: "Trump is trying to steal history, the same way he tried to steal the election!" pic.twitter.com/Ouv3V5hnEW
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 5, 2024
Another hypocritical point applied to how Biden emphasized at great length how he denounced political violence. "So hear me clearly," he told the crowd. "I will state what Donald Trump will not," that "political violence is never, ever acceptable in the United States political system. Never. Never. Never. It has no place in a democracy. None." His remarks were met with applause.
Such enthusiasm would have been welcome after somebody leaked the Dobbs v. Jackson opinion on May 2, 2022, which the U.S. Supreme Court used to overturn Roe v. Wade, though the decision wasn't formally handed down until June 24, 2022. Although Biden did also denounce such violence when he gave his remarks on June 24, once the decision was official, it came after violent threats were made and carried out against pro-life organizations, but also Supreme Court justices. A suspect was even arrested for wanting to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
That discussion of political violence led to another memorable connection from the president: the assault from October 2022 on Paul Pelosi, the husband of then Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
Biden claimed that the intruder, David DePape, who was found guilty last November, was "whipped up by the Big Trump Lie" and was "echoing the very same words of January 6 of 'where's Nancy?' DePape was mentally ill, a drug user, and also a supporter of leftist causes.
BIDEN: Trump "jokes about an intruder, whipped up by the big Trump lie, taking a hammer to Paul Pelosi's skull!" pic.twitter.com/m88BNURyBW
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 5, 2024
In going on to claim with confidence that "Trump is not concerned about your future, I promise you," Biden harped on how "Trump is promising a full-scale campaign on revenge and retribution," and that Trump said "he would be a dictator on day one."
The remarks in question came during a Fox News town hall that Trump did with Sean Hannity last month, which he also later repeated at the New York Young Republican Club’s 111th Annual Gala. Trump's supporters, such as Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), have urged a sense of humor on the matter.
Joe Biden insists that Trump's comments about being "a dictator on day one" were "not in jest." pic.twitter.com/Q4m7ffD5aC
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 5, 2024
Biden went on to bring up another disputed claim that he has repeated at length, which is that Trump referred to dead soldiers buried at the cemetery as "suckers and losers." Even Snopes late last year pointed to how the claim has been disputed by those present.
The president wasn't done with the insults and hyperbolic claims, though, as he claimed that Trump has been "talking in the same language used in Nazi Germany," ranting still about how Trump is focused on "revenge, power, dictatorship" and claiming "there is no confusion about who Trump is and what he intends to do."
Joe Biden compares Trump to Nazis. pic.twitter.com/9hC93scsMU
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 5, 2024
Biden also sought to pit "MAGA Voices" and "MAGA Republicans" against the rest of America, including "Democrats, Independents, [and] Mainstream Republicans" as he discussed the choice that Americans have to make.
As he continued on in his remarks, Biden brought up points he brought up ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, including his heavily criticized remarks outside of Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
To applause from the audience, Biden declared that "I make this sacred pledge to you, the defense, protection, and preservation of American democracy will remain as it has been, the central cause of my presidency, America." He warned that "as we begin this election year, we must be clear that demoacy is on the ballot, your freedom is on the ballot." Biden went on to also warn that "the alternative to democracy is dictatorship."
Biden himself also referenced the 2022 midterms, which turned out more disappointing than expected for the Republican Party, as he proudly claimed that "the election deniers were defeated!" Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) shared on the morning after the 2022 elections that while he disagreed with the narrative, he thinks it may have helped Democrats.
And, despite his divisive tone, Biden claimed that it is Trump who wants an "all-out war."
BIDEN: "You can't have a contest if you see politics as an all-out war...All-out war is what Trump wants!" pic.twitter.com/qeLiq4j079
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 5, 2024
It's also curious that Biden would be so optimistic. Sentiment doesn't just bode well for how Americans perceive the country to be doing overall, but how Biden is faring in the polls against Trump.
Biden also sought to pit Trump against all other Americans, offering "we all know who Donald Trump is," as he also wanted to know "who are we?" He emphasized to the crowd that "the power is in your hands."
"We don't believe, none of you believe America is failing," Biden claimed, speaking for the crowd. "We know America is winning," he continued on with, which he said is what "American patriotism is," to applause. "And it's not winning because of Joe Biden!"
Not only do the polls show that Americans recognize that we are indeed "not winning because of Joe Biden," but that in using the power that is in their hands, who they are is someone who will vote for Trump.
BIDEN: "None of you believe America is failing...We know America is winning...and it's not winning because of Joe Biden!" pic.twitter.com/iiViHdNQ8E
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 5, 2024
If you were waiting for Biden to compare January 6 to a whole host of dark days our nation has been through, he did so, towards the very end of his speech. "After all we've been through in our history, from Independence to Civil War, to two World Wars, to a pandemic, to insurrection, I refuse to believe that in 2024 we Americans choose to walk away from what's made us the greatest nation in the history of the world," as he went on to insist "democracy is still a sacred cause." After all this, Biden still claimed he's "never been more optimistic about our future."
As has been the case many times before, Biden looked confused as he ended his speech. First Lady Jill Biden came to the stage to see him off. Even while the exit music was playing, and after the president has most certainly ended his remarks, he still yelled out "I understand power, thank you."
Thank goodness that Jill Biden is there to lead Joe off stage. pic.twitter.com/KFky6f9iwo
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 5, 2024
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel released a statement about the speech, which in particular called out Biden's sense of priorities. "The soul of America has been crushed under the weight of Joe Biden’s failures. While families can’t pay their bills, children are dying from fentanyl overdoses, terror suspects are crossing the open southern border, and Americans are still being held hostage by Hamas, Biden wants to further divide Americans with polarizing rhetoric to distract from his catastrophic policies. Biden has done enough damage – no one can take four more years," she said.
Larry also reacted on Friday, calling Valley Forge "a sacred place," as he noted it was "a disgrace" for Biden to hold his remarks there, referring to the president as "a despicable human being."
"Valley Forge is a sacred place. People DIED there! And [Joe Biden] is using their legacy for his own cheap, divisive political tactics. What a despicable human being this president is!"@LarryOConnor pic.twitter.com/bdakj59lnZ
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 5, 2024
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