On Monday evening, President Joe Biden addressed the nation on Trump v. United States, a 6-3 decision which found that presidents has immunity when acting in what the Court stressed was their official capacity. How did he manage to do so? He spoke for less than four minutes, and left without taking any questions. In case there was any doubt how he felt, the president screeched that he agreed with Justice Sonia Sotomayor's dissent, declaring "I dissent!"
Happening Now: President Biden delivers remarks on the Supreme Court's immunity ruling. https://t.co/fRmKLnFgN5
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 1, 2024
He’s good for four minutes a day as long as someone else writes it. https://t.co/jwfqMrfsXF
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) July 1, 2024
That doesn't mean Biden wasn't prone to some truly hypocritical points in his remarks, which were very clearly prewritten by someone else and which he read directly from as he spoke.
"Today's decision almost certainly means that there are virtually no limits on what a president can do," Biden claimed at the start, lamenting a case which, again, makes clear that the president is only immune when acting in an official capacity. He went on to claim that "the power of the office will no longer be constrained by the law, even and including the Supreme Court of the United States, adding "the only limits will be self imposed by the president alone."
Despite how he only spoke for short a time period, the president still brought up unrelated topics so that he could rant and rave about the Supreme Court. "This decision today has continued the Court's attacks in recent years on a wide range of long established legal principles in our nation, from gutting voting rights and civil rights to taking away a woman's right to choose, to today's decision that undermines the rule the law of this nation."
He also brought up the events of January 6, 2021 to insist "I think it's fair to say is one of the darkest days in the history of America. Now the man who sent that mob to the U.S. Capitol is facing potential criminal conviction," speaking about former and potentially future President Donald Trump.
What Biden left out, though, is how Trump urged those at the Capitol that day to protest peacefully.
I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2021
The Trump War Room account also posted such reminders while Biden was speaking, as well as reminded how footage was unearthed last month of then Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) taking responsibility for a lack of preparedness on that day.
FACT: President Trump condemned violence and called for peace on January 6th.
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) July 1, 2024
"We have to have PEACE."
"remain peaceful. No violence!"
"Peacefully and patriotically."
"Stay peaceful."pic.twitter.com/awdxOsq14Z
Nancy Pelosi admitted she was responsible for the National Guard on January 6th:
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) July 1, 2024
“I take responsibility for not having them just prepare for more”pic.twitter.com/92RZQUEues
Biden then went to make the issue about the election between himself and Trump, with the latter continuing to lead in the polls, especially after last Thursday's disastrous debate performance. He spoke specifically about the case brought against Trump by Special Counsel Jack Smith to do with January 6, which faced a major blow with Monday's decision.
"The American people deserve to have an answer in the courts before the upcoming election. The public has a right to know the answer about what happened on January 6 before they are asked to vote again this year. Now, because of today's decision, that is highly, highly unlikely. It's a terrible disservice to the people of this nation," Biden lamented.
"So now, now the American people have to do what the Court should have been willing to do but will not. The American people have to render a judgment about Donald Trump's behavior. The American people must decide whether Donald Trump's assault on our democracy on January 6 makes him unfit for public office, the highest office of the land. The American people must decide if Trump's embrace of violence to preserve his power is acceptable. Perhaps most importantly, the American people must decide if they want to entrust the president, once again, the presidency to Donald Trump, now knowing he'll be more emboldened to do whatever he pleases, whenever he wants to do it."
The guy who keeps telling us democracy is on the ballot just gave a nationally televised address to complain that he can’t put his political opponent on trial again before the election. 🤡
— Jimmy Failla (@jimmyfailla) July 2, 2024
After bringing President George Washington into this, Biden claimed that after the Trump v. United States decision, "it'll depend on the character of the men and women who hold that presidency that are going to define the limits of the power of the presidency, because the law will no longer do it."
If such points weren't noteworthy enough, Biden, with a serious face, claimed "I know I will respect the limits of the presidential powers that I have for three and a half years," despite how he frequently brags about defying the Supreme Court when it comes to student loan debt.
BIDEN: "I know I will respect the limits of the presidential power as I have for 3.5 years."
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 1, 2024
FACT: Biden *routinely* brags about DEFYING the Supreme Court with his student loan debt bailout, among other unilateral actions. pic.twitter.com/FGnjS988Jw
Same guy pic.twitter.com/YKZ2MQALoF
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) July 1, 2024
BIDEN: "I know I will respect the limits of the presidential power, as I have for 3.5 years!"
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 2, 2024
ALSO BIDEN: "Supreme Court blocked me from relieving student debt — but they didn't stop me!" pic.twitter.com/1GLDZy6f7k
"But any president, including Donald Trump, will now be free to ignore the law," leaving out the key detail about presidents acting in their official capacity. "I concur with Justice Sotomayor's dissent today," he went on to say, mispronouncing her name so that he was saying "Sotomayer."
As we covered earlier, Sotomayor's dissent was particularly hysterical, and Biden read from one of many outlandish points that she made. "Here's what she said," Biden said, slurring his words as he went on to quote the justice. "She said 'In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law... With fear for our democracy, I dissent.' End of quote."
"So should the American people dissent! I dissent. May God bless you all and may God help preserve democracy. Thank you. And may God protect our troops," Biden said before walking off. Reporters shouting questions, such as whether Biden will drop out out the race, went ignored.
As Axios' Alex Thompson pointed out, this was the first time since February that Biden addressed the nation publicly for cameras. The president was particularly angry in that instance as he addressed Special Counsel Robert Hur's report released just earlier that day.
Hur decided not to charge the president, characterized an old man with a poor memory. Not helping that view was that while taking questions for that press conference, Biden managed to mix up the foreign leaders of Mexico and Egypt.
Tonight Biden spoke in public for cameras for the first time since Friday, reads from a teleprompter and takes no questions after days of ppl in his own party and WH wondering about his mental fitness.
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) July 2, 2024
After just over four minutes of pre-written remarks (read directly from his giant teleprompter), Biden shuffles away WITHOUT taking any questions pic.twitter.com/6fPVkqBT5D
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 1, 2024
Had he spoken any longer or been permitted by his handlers to take any questions, Biden might have short-circuited, considering we're outside the peak hours of when he's "dependently engaged," from 10am-4pm.
Biden was made to come out even after the campaign released a statement.
Biden-Harris campaign statement on SCOTUS presidential immunity ruling pic.twitter.com/Lusy7RzKbd
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) July 1, 2024
Join the conversation as a VIP Member