Helluva speech by President Biden

The MSM at its usual principled best.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/09/02/biden-philadelphia-speech-democracy-midterms/
"It is a depressing reflection of the dangerous political situation in which the nation finds itself that President Biden felt compelled to deliver a prime-time address decrying political violence and election denialism and calling on Americans “to unite behind the single purpose of defending our democracy.” Indeed, democracy is under assault in the United States. Rallying to its defense is an urgent task, and it does the nation no service to pretend that this is a problem of bipartisan dimensions. The leader of one party peddled the false belief that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, sought to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, incited his adherents to storm the Capitol, and continues to stir anger and unrest. As Mr. Biden put it in Philadelphia on Thursday night, “Too much of what’s happening in our country today is not normal. Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic.”


The difficult, perhaps insurmountable, challenge that Mr. Biden confronted — just eight weeks before midterm elections that will determine the future course of his presidency — was how to convey the message of defending democracy in a way that summons patriotism rather than partisanship. Here, as much as we agree with the president about the urgency of the issue, is where he fell short, too often sounding more like a Democrat than a democrat. You don’t persuade people by scolding or demeaning them, but that’s how the president’s speech landed for many conservatives of goodwill.


Mr. Biden was wrong to conflate upholding the rule of law with his own partisan agenda, which he called “the work of democracy.” You can be for democracy but against the president’s policy proposals to use government to lower prescription-drug prices and combat climate change. “MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards, backwards to an America where there is no right to choose, no right to privacy, no right to contraception, no right to marry who you love,” Mr. Biden proclaimed. But many conservatives — not just “MAGA forces” — agree with the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. It was disappointing that Mr. Biden chose to omit that the infrastructure, gun-control and burn-pits legislation he praised had passed with Republican votes. Pointing this out would actually have strengthened his effort to draw a contrast between “MAGA Republicans” and “mainstream Republicans.”


Moreover, Mr. Biden’s clarion call for democracy would carry more credibility if he were willing to call out his own party for its cynical effort to elevate some of the same “MAGA Republicans” he now warns will destroy democracy if they prevail in the general election. During the primaries, Democrats spent tens of millions helping dangerous election deniers defeat better-funded “mainstream Republicans,” including in Pennsylvania, where Mr. Biden, not coincidentally, chose to speak."

 

I gave a funny on the assumption your reply was sarcasm/tongue in cheek.

 

We’re in the same boat, but this remark threw me: WAPO has “elevated Trump, provided cover for his lies”. That seemed a bit harsh.
BTW, did you read Eugene Robinson’s op-ed in WAPO today? Best one yet!!

 

Here’s the op-Ed:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/09/02/biden-speech-democracy-independence

 

You assume Trump, McCarthy and those anti-American extremists are inclined to ameliorate their extremism. Biden was absolutely right to call them out.

 

Democrats are NOT extreme. THEY are not threatening and committing violence. THEY are not attacking our most sacred norm - a fair and settled election. This is NOT about policy, but about one group of extremists trying to gain total control of the levers of power at every level and ensure that all elections - if any at all - will indeed be rigged. There’s no negotiating with extremists thirsting for total power.

So yes, something really bad is going to happen if the MAGA extremists aren’t stopped in November and 2024.