A Seismic Moment for America
Last night's State of the Union reinforced the profound decision facing the country
If there was a time to imagine that cult followers of Donald Trump could be convinced to rethink their choices, that time has passed. The exit polls and voting on Super Tuesday and the other primaries have made clear the MAGA base’s deep anger, their belief in his lie of a stolen election and the illegitimacy of Joe Biden, their insistence that Trump is on their side and will fight for them, and their dark view of the state of the country. Addressing this population, which represents tens of millions of Americans, will be part of the hard slog to repair our democracy in the coming years.
But the next eight months require each of us to strengthen and expand the majority that will vote for Joe Biden and the survival of democracy. This is a time to advocate among hesitant, indifferent or doubtful Democrats. This is a time to reach out to independents and that minority of moderate Republicans who supported Nikki Haley or otherwise say they won’t vote for Trump. Not willing to vote for Trump is one thing; voting for Biden is another.
As a journalist, it’s not my instinct to be advocating for a particular candidate, but these are not normal times when it’s sufficient to broadly and neutrally discuss the pros and cons of each party’s candidate in our binary political system. There’s only one candidate in the two major parties that is committed to democracy and the American democratic experiment. There’s only one that rejects dictatorship; does not seek alliance with anti-democratic dictators; believes in the sacred tradition of the peaceful transfer of power; is dedicated to the principles, ideals and responsibilities of self-governance; pursues policies and programs to better the lives of all Americans; and accepts the rule of law and the fundamental principle that no one is above the law.
These are not mere policy differences. These represent the difference between sustaining our way of life or tossing it all away, possibly permanently.
If there was a time to imagine that previous GOP enablers of Trump could be convinced to rethink their choices, Mitch McConnell’s Trump endorsement on Wednesday reveals this as wishing on a star. The probability that Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the GOP race this week, will eventually endorse Trump belies the notion that she is truly committed to American democracy.
We are—our democracy is—facing an existential danger. When the house is on fire and you know it, you either help put it out or you’re aiding and abetting its destruction. You either side with the anarchists or you work to make things better.
Last night Joe Biden came out swinging. His 68-minute State of the Union speech was energized, sharp and pugnacious. He had something to say and he didn’t hold back. He could not have offered a clearer retort to all those claiming he’s too old and doddering to do the job. His verve was undeniable.
He started by making clear the stakes of this moment, comparing it to the Civil War and WWII when “Hitler was on the march, war was raging in Europe.” He noted President Franklin Roosevelt spoke in the same chamber in January 1941 and described “a moment unprecedented in the history of the union.” FDR’s purpose, Biden explained, at a time when “freedom and democracy were under assault in the world,” was to “wake up the Congress and alert the American people that this was no ordinary moment.”
Biden communicated the same purpose: “What makes our moment rare is that freedom and democracy are under attack, both at home and overseas, at the very same time.” He explained: “Overseas, Putin of Russia is on the march, invading Ukraine and sowing chaos throughout Europe and beyond.” Meanwhile, “my predecessor, a former Republican president, tells Putin, ‘Do whatever the hell you want.’”
Biden’s response to Trump (who he never acknowledged by name) “bowing down to a Russian leader” was angry and vivid: “It’s outrageous. It’s dangerous. It’s unacceptable.” And the president’s response to Putin and his ambitions: “We will not walk away. We will not bow down. I will not bow down.”
He then took on January 6, when “we all saw with our own eyes these insurrectionists were not patriots. They had come to stop the peaceful transfer of power and to overturn the will of the people.” And the stakes? “January 6th and the lies about the 2020 election, and the plots to steal the election, posed the gravest threat to our democracy since the Civil War.”
And he didn’t pull his punches, emphasizing the continuing responsibility: “My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth of January 6th. I will not do that. This is a moment to speak the truth and bury the lies.”
“And here’s the simplest truth,” he continued. “You can’t love your country only when you win.”
He urged those in the chamber of Congress, where that heinous, criminal attack happened “to join together and defend our democracy. Remember your oath of office to defend against all threats foreign and domestic. Respect free and fair elections. Restore trust in our institutions. And make clear—political violence has absolutely no place in America!” (Clearly, only some were listening.)
All this in the first few minutes. Next he detailed his policies and accomplishments, defined by his values, and an agenda that includes fighting for women’s reproductive rights and safety, requiring corporations and the wealthiest to pay their fair share in taxes, securing affordable health care and prescription drug prices, seeking a ceasefire in Gaza and a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, confronting the scourge of gun violence and passing legislation for border security. Addressing “my predecessor” and the House speaker seated behind him who stopped the voting on a bipartisan bill to secure the border: “We can fight about the border or we can fix it. I’m ready to fix it.”
Biden used the last part of his speech to tell the nation both who he is and who he’s up against. “My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy,” he said, continuing:
A future based on the core values that have defined America: honesty, decency, dignity, equality. To respect everyone. To give everyone a fair shot. To give hate no safe harbor. Now some other people my age see a different story: an American story of resentment, revenge and retribution. That’s not me.
Biden reminded the audience that he was elected senator at the age of 29. “In my career, I’ve been told I’m too young and I’m too old,” he said to laughter, adding that “the issue facing our nation isn’t how old we are, it’s how old our ideas are.”
He concluded by describing the future he envisions, one based on optimism, not grievance: “I see a future where we defend democracy not diminish it…where we restore the right to choose and protect other freedoms not take them away…where the middle class finally has a fair shot and the wealthy finally have to pay their fair share in taxes…where we save the planet from the climate crisis and our country from gun violence.” And, “above all, I see a future for all Americans.. a country for all Americans…because I believe in America.”
It was a bracing, optimistic, vigorous expression of what the next eight months (and beyond) can look like. Biden made clear last night, as millions of Americans were listening, that now is the time to choose—not just who we want as president, but what country and what future we want. Few times in our history has that choice been more critical.
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Thank you for the excellent summary and call to action. There should be no more questions about his age-related “problems”—he was focused, on point, and energized, but also responded to the rude behavior and snarky remarks with humor and redirection. In other words, he was on top of his game and can clearly move the country toward unity.
Well written and insightful. I listened to Biden - as many others across the U.S. last night - and felt a sense of pride in our President and our nation. Yes, we are still a country where justice rules, values are important, and hatred has no place unless you are announcing your own ignorance - as Greene continues to do right on cue. And yes, Biden's age should no longer be an issue after this delightful, pointed, and articulate narrative - one laced with laughter yet with a deep grasp of the "real" and dangerous issues facing our nation today. He literally told Putin that he has no intention of backing down or bowing down - which brought a broad smile to my face! As Putin is hell-bent on marching toward world domination, he now knows that the U.S. - as long as Biden is in the White House - will be his foe along with all the power and might of the United States of America.
The choice between the two Presidential candidates this year should be easy but for so many, it is a struggle between their life-long commitment to the Republican Party and Trump's corrupt, hateful, and deceitful path. The Bible-belt area and devout Christians are unaware that they have chosen to worship a false God. We can only hope that their faith will help them see the light before the November election.
Thank you Steven. Your message today was spot-on. Elizabeth