President Joe Biden's major speech came on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021 anniversary and was roundly praised by pundits for taking it to Donald Trump and MAGA for decimating the founding ideals of America.
“Today we’re here to answer the most important of questions: Is democracy still America’s sacred cause,” he said while about 10 miles from Valley Forge National Historical Park, where 250 years ago George Washington rallied troops during the Revolutionary War. “It’s what the 2024 election is all about.”
The president’s remarks were inspired by the 2021 insurrection attempt, when a Trump-inspired mob stormed the U.S. Capitol and attempted to prevent Biden from taking office despite his clear victory in the 2020 election.
"Joe Biden can win in November if he speaks this way every day and never backs down from fighting with all he’s got to save our democracy from Trump," wrote ex-Republican Illinois congressman Joe Walsh in post on social media. "Keep this up Joe. Tell the American people what’s at stake. Every damn day. This was a great speech."
In separate X posts, Walsh said, "Republicans cannot defend what Joe Biden is forcefully calling out. They just can’t... He’s going at Trump by name and head on and I love it. And the country needs it."
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TV host Michael Smerconish also heaped Biden applause in a post on Twitter/X. "Speech was well written. Appropriate length. And strongly delivered - pacing much better than normal."
This is solid messaging," wrote political commentator Tara Setmeyer, an ex-Republican. "And TRUE." She was referencing this part of Biden's speech:
"Donald Trump's campaign is about him. Not America. Not you. Donald Trump's campaign is obsessed with the past, not the future. He's willing to sacrifice our democracy, put himself in power."
The president's alarm to preserve democracy was something Rick Wilson, another former Republican commentator, backed.
"Everyone on the pro-democracy side of this fight should amplify the hell out of this," he posted in a tweet.
