In a fiery address at Montgomery County Community College on Friday, January 5, 2024, President Joe Biden took an unprecedented stance against former President Donald Trump, alleging that Trump is willing to sacrifice American democracy for personal gain. The speech, delivered on the third anniversary of the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, marked a departure from Biden’s previous approach, directly confronting Trump and characterizing him as a wannabe authoritarian.
Emphasizing the gravity of the upcoming election, Biden declared, “Democracy is on the ballot,” highlighting the potential consequences for freedom. The speech, which focused on Trump’s actions and rhetoric, stood out for its direct attacks on the former president.
Biden accused Trump of employing rhetoric reminiscent of Adolf Hitler and criticized him for being “obsessed with the past, not the future.” The president asserted that Trump puts his personal interests ahead of the nation and accused him of laughing off the October 2022 attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, labeling Trump as “sick.”
Referring to Trump’s campaign, Biden stated, “Donald Trump’s campaign is about him, not America, not you. He’s willing to sacrifice our democracy to put himself in power.” The president highlighted Trump’s exhaustive attempts to overturn the election through legal avenues, ultimately leading back to the truth: Biden had won, and Trump had lost.
Despite Trump’s campaign responding by accusing “radical left Democrats” of posing a threat to democracy, Biden remained steadfast in his message, addressing concerns about the state of American democracy. A Gallup poll revealed that only 28% of Americans were satisfied with the functioning of democracy, marking a record low.
Biden aimed to redefine the 2024 race as a referendum on the choice between himself and Trump, emphasizing the contrast in an effort to remind voters of Trump’s deficiencies. Democrats hope this strategy will boost Biden’s approval ratings, currently placing the two men in a virtual tie according to public polling.
The president’s reelection message has shifted from promoting “Bidenomics” to focusing on the threat posed by Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. A recent television ad and Biden’s reiterated commitment to democratic values aim to solidify his position, with the president asserting, “I refuse to believe that in 2024, we Americans will choose to walk away from what has made us the greatest nation in the history of the world: freedom, liberty. Democracy is still a sacred cause.”
