Biden Kicks Off His Campaign Echoing Washington at Valley Forge

W.J. Astore

Trump is on the ballot!

Yesterday, Joe Biden kicked off his reelection campaign by visiting Valley Forge and echoing the dark times of George Washington in 1777-78 during the American Revolutionary War. In a campaign speech that lasted about 30 minutes, Biden declared that “Democracy is on the ballot,” by which he meant Trump is on the ballot. Biden denounced Trump and his MAGA supporters for the “insurrection” they launched on January 6, 2021, when “hell was unleashed” at the Capitol. We nearly lost America on that date, Biden opined, due to the Trump-inspired “violent assault” on democracy.

As a teenager, I loved to collect stamps, just like FDR did

Going further, Biden described Trump as “sick” and “despicable” and noted how recent language about “vermin” and “poison” echoed that of Nazi Germany. Trump and MAGA, Biden said, seek to “bury history” (or “steal” it) and “ban books,” with Trump himself being a sore loser who refused to admit defeat. Biden reminded the audience that being president is about duty and service to your country, including the willingness to walk away peacefully, relinquishing power gracefully when you lose.

All in all, it was a coherent speech that Biden read competently from the teleprompter. He occasionally came across as angry, especially when shouting for emphasis, but overall Biden, though he looked his age, appeared to be committed and engaged.

To me, the main problem with Biden’s speech was that it focused almost entirely on Trump. The essence was “Trump bad,” therefore vote for me, Joe Biden, to secure America’s future, with that “future” left entirely unspecified. The Trump future would be violent, racist, and divisive, marked by vitriol and vengeance, so Biden claimed. A Biden future wouldn’t be that, apparently, but no other details were offered. Biden offered no positive vision.

Biden closed his speech with the usual boilerplate: that America is “the greatest nation on the face of the earth” and “the greatest nation in the history of the world.” Biden said “We know America is winning,” but what exactly we’re winning was left unspecified. Rhetorically, Biden asked “Who are we?” then enjoined us “Just remember who we are.” Huh? Then he said we’re the people who emerge stronger after every crisis. Does that mean we should wish for another Trump crisis so we can emerge stronger still?

Finally, Biden used a phrase that Hillary used to use for us commoners: “everyday people.” Remember when presidents used to say, my fellow Americans, when addressing us? Now we’re “everyday people” as opposed to what, exactly? Someday people? In Washington, I gather there are special people, the elites, the best and brightest, like Joe Biden, and then there are the masses, the everyday people, like you and me.

And I think that’s a big problem for the Beltway crowd: the “everyday people” might just prefer Trump and the chaos he represents. Come November, we’ll find out.

9 thoughts on “Biden Kicks Off His Campaign Echoing Washington at Valley Forge”

  1. All due respect to Joseph Robinette Biden, let’s be honest — he couldn’t have written this speech if his life depended upon it — and in truth, his political life, what is left of it, does depend on it.
    Millions of Democrat voters are not only suggesting, but are now ‘screaming’ for Joe to step aside — please — and in all likelihood, he won’t — Jill won’t let him —

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  2. “The Trump future would be violent, racist, and divisive, marked by vitriol and vengeance, so Biden claimed.” Biden delivered this message in a way that was angry, divisive and marked by vitriol and vengeance. A true embodiment of the Democrats and, in fact, both parties, the uniparty, how they project their own shadow onto others.

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    1. Unfortunately, the tendency to see two political rivals as possessing the same “devisiveness” is untrue. To compare a man (Trump) as having the same rational basis for his rantings as Biden, who is too often under-stated, makes no sense. Trump is a man full of vengeance and vitriol and ready to upend democratic principles if he gets back into office. The weaknesses of Biden have become evident in respect to foreign policies: 1st, his foolish decision to give full support to Israel by shipping even more weapons for the genocidal bombings taking place in Gaza has turned much of the world against, not only Israel but also the U.S.. In addition, Biden’s unconditional support for Ukraine is bringing disaster on the Ukrainian people. There were opportunities to encourage diplomatic settlements but they were avoided due to unwarranted beliefs in Russia’s military weakness. Now Ukraine is left to suffer incessant bombing and on-going casualties that they can ill afford. Something is seriously askew in the present American administration but a President Trump would be no improvement and perhaps make matters much worse with his ham handed foreign policy decisions.

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      1. Hi Hughaedh,

        I agree that Trump would be no improvement although unlike (many? most? all?) other presidents he did not start a war, but he did indulge existing ones. I also agree with you about Biden. I expect we have a lot in common.

        The issue about which is worst does not address my main point that both Democrats and Republicans indulge in projecting their own shadow on others, with horrible consequences for the US and the world. When it comes to the shadow, what is most important to recognize is not the other’s, that’s easy, but recognizing one’s own or risk being swallowed by it. I am more identified with the Democrats, so that is the side I am more concerned with. I’m heart broken that the Democrats seem to have been swallowed by their own shadow which they project onto anyone who differs with whatever claims they are making now, and that the bulk of their supporters don’t seem to recognize this. I am a strategic voter, but given how dire the situation is, if I was American, I would not vote Democrat, I would vote for someone building a progressive movement, a truly loyal opposition, loyal to the country and the world.

        Warm regards,

        Bill

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  3. Great simple article and gets to the point. In my working class neighborhood of mix races, they are struggling economically and don’t like the Dems and Trump. I am a Committe Person for the Dems and I am sick of the Elitism and Brahmin Untouchable ways of the Democratic Party. The Local Democartic Party
    can’t even hold a sit down discussion of neighborhood issues with my neigbhors. It seems from my view, that the struggling working class will be sending a message that Biden is not the answer for their problems by voting for Trump. Unfortuately, the other alternative lefty political parties are seen aloof than as a grassroot bottom up party. Sad day in America for the working class.

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        1. Re: Cornel West. I live in Trenton, Nj most of my 75 years life Cornel West never came in this community to do bottom up grassroots works when he was pontificating at Princeton University.. The whole Left has forgotten how to do bottom up community building . The Left now seemed to be addicted to podcast, substacks and YouTube videos which I find artificial. I would like to have seen Lefties group like the Green Party and the People Party and Our Revolution do bottom up work by running for Board of Education, and Local government office. Unfortunately , from my experience working class folks see Lefties as aloof and aliens from a different planets. The Local Greens are nice high educated folks but do not how to speak to the working poor. The Greens have the highest good intentions but are alienated from poor folks everyday life experiences. The Greens run for high office every years and it makes no sense for me why they do this because they lost every time. I have found Cornel West to be cartoon like in his mannerism and language but then again I lived and worked at the bottom of the food chain most of my 75 years on this earth. I have worked in many campaigns from George McGovern, Sanders,Nader and many more local campaigns by knocking on a zillion doors and it ain’t easy to win over folks to a lefty side of view.

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          1. Interesting to hear and I believe you about the lack of grassroots and community organizing. That is what is needed.

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