State of the Union: Biden Calls Out “Dangerous” Trump, Irresponsible Republicans
“The issue facing our nation isn’t how old we are, it’s how old are our ideas.”
I’VE BEEN A PESSIMIST about Joe Biden’s chances to get re-elected this November. His tired appearance, his shuffling gait, his gaffes—the intense media attention on all of this was dragging him down and setting the stage for the unthinkable return of Donald Trump. Thursday night’s State of the Union address has gone a great distance to cure me of my pessimism. Biden’s performance was electrifying. Watching it, you can’t help but think: He can win.
And nothing is more important. With wars raging in Europe and the Middle East, and China menacing Taiwan, four years of Trump’s America First isolationism would be a catastrophe. It is not an exaggeration to say that the peace of the country and the peace of the world hang in the balance. On this score, Biden rose to the occasion.
Biden opened by recollecting Franklin Roosevelt’s State of the Union address from January 1941. “I address you . . . at a moment unprecedented in the history of the Union,” FDR had said. Freedom and democracy were on the line. “President Roosevelt’s purpose,” explained Biden, “was to wake up the Congress and alert the American people that this was no ordinary time.” We are once again at such a profoundly important turning point—only today, the threat to freedom and democracy is not just abroad, but here at home. “My purpose tonight,” said Biden “is to wake up the Congress and alert the American people that this is no ordinary moment, either.”
Biden blasted the MAGA Republicans who are blocking military aid to Ukraine. And he appealed to the American people, explaining that, if permitted to trample Ukraine, Vladimir Putin won’t stop there. Europe itself is under threat. “Ukraine can stop Putin if we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons it needs to defend itself. That is all Ukraine is asking.” Yet the aid is being blocked by “those who want to walk away from our world leadership.” To powerful effect, Biden contrasted Ronald Reagan, who told Mikhail Gorbachev “tear down this wall,” to Trump, who told Putin to “do whatever the hell you want.” “A former president actually said that, bowing down to a Russian leader. I think it’s outrageous. It’s dangerous. And it’s unacceptable.”
These are devastating words.
Biden deftly transitioned from Ukraine to the events of January 6th. This is a “moment to speak the truth and to bury the lies” about that dark episode in our political history. “You can’t love your country only when you win,” was the zinger with which he stung Donald Trump.
Ironically, given that he is a liberal Democrat, one could hear many echoes of Ronald Reagan in a speech framed around the great American themes of freedom and democracy, delivered with a strong and passionate voice.
Biden has gone a great distance to dispelling the image the media has created of a tired old man, bordering on the senescent. In his speech’s peroration, he spoke openly about his age, charmingly and powerfully reframing it as a source of strength. “I know I may not look like it, but I’ve been around a while,” he began.
And when you get to my age, certain things become clearer than ever. I know the American story.
Again and again, I’ve seen the contest between competing forces in the battle for the soul of our nation. Between those who want to pull America back to the past and those who want to move America into the future. My lifetime has taught me to embrace freedom and democracy.
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 other people my age see it differently—an American story of resentment, revenge, and retribution. . . .
In my career I’ve been told I was too young. . . . And I’ve been told I’m too old. Whether young or old, I’ve always known what endures. I’ve known our North Star.
The very idea of America—that we’re all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. We’ve never fully lived up to that idea, but we’ve never walked away from it either.
And I won’t walk away from it now. . . .
My fellow Americans the issue facing our nation isn’t how old we are, it’s how old are our ideas.
Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are the oldest of ideas.
But you can’t lead America with ancient ideas that only take us back.
To lead America, the land of possibilities, you need a vision for the future and what can and should be done.
In addition to the large takeaway that Biden is very much alive and kicking, one smaller but not insignificant conclusion can be drawn from this evening’s performance: Biden should definitely agree to debate Donald Trump. This State of the Union address left me with little doubt that he can take down that demented demagogue.
Subscribe to The Bulwark
 | A guest post by
|
