President Joe Biden used prime-time political remarks from the White House to attack Trump’s character and the Supreme Court’s immunity decision.
video:
Biden said:
The Presidency is the most powerful office in the world, an office that not only tests your judgment, but more importantly it is an office that tests your character, for not only do you face moments that require courage to exercise the full power of the Presidency, You also face moments that require wisdom to respect the limits of the presidency.
This country was founded on the principle that there would be no king in this country. Everyone is equal before the law and no one is above the law, not even the President of the United States. But today’s Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity fundamentally changes for all practical purposes, and today’s decision almost certainly means that there are no limits on the president’s actions. This is a completely new principle and a dangerous precedent. The office’s powers would no longer be limited by law or even the U.S. Supreme Court.
The only restrictions will be imposed by the president himself. Today’s decision continues the court’s attack in recent years on a range of long-established rights. Today’s decision takes away women’s right to choose and undermines the rule of law in this country. We saw it four years ago when my predecessor sent a violent mob to the U.S. Capitol to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, and we sat there and watched it happen. Attack the police. Looting the Capitol.
A mob goes after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The gallows set up to hang Vice President Pence. It was one of the darkest days in American history, and now the man who sent the mob to the U.S. Capitol could face criminal convictions for what happened that day. The American people deserve an answer to this question before the upcoming election. About what happened on January 6th, and then they were asked to vote again this fall.
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Perhaps most importantly, the American people must decide to once again hand over the presidency to Donald Trump. I feel more confident. You know, in our founding, the presidency was defined by the character of our first president, George Washington, who believed that power was limited, not absolute. This power always belongs to the people, will always belong to the people. Today, more than 200 years later, the Supreme Court’s decision today will once again depend on the character of the men and women who serve as president, who will define the limits of presidential power because the law will no longer apply to it. I know I will respect the limits of the presidential power I have had for 3 1/2 years, but any president, including Donald Trump, can now ignore the law. I agree with Justice Sotomayor’s dissent today. She said the president is now a king above the law every time he uses visual power, and out of concern for our democracy, I disagree. The offer ends. The American people should also raise objections. I disagree. May God bless you all. May God help preserve our democracy. May God protect our troops.
This is the message America needs to hear. America needs to hear the president’s voice, and they need to hear that the Supreme Court’s ruling on executive power means the character races for the two leading contenders for the presidency are on the ballot.
Biden was clear and powerful, and his appearance refuted recent reports and rumors that he was unable to speak or appear publicly after 4 p.m. Doing it so that the American people can see that he’s doing the work.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a member of the White House press corps and a congressional reporter for PoliticusUSA. Jason holds a BA in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, particularly social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of Society of Professional Journalists and American Political Science Association
