In the run-up to the imminent Election Day, President Biden’s remarks set the political world abuzz. Speaking during an event in the political heartland of New Hampshire, the President suggested that his predecessor needs to be sidelined from politics. He was in Concord mainly to draw attention to his administration’s standout initiatives to curb healthcare costs and prescription drug prices.
Moving on from the official event to a meeting at the New Hampshire Democratic Party headquarters, Biden underscored his tried-and-tested assertion that a potential comeback by GOP nominee, the ex-President Trump, could pose significant risks to our democracy. He soundly reminded the audience, ‘Consider this, visualize the aftermath if Donald Trump wins the election.’
Shedding light on his statement, President Biden mused, ‘This might seem strange. A mere half a decade back, you would call this ludicrous. But we need to put him on the political sidelines.’ Yet, in the same breath, he corrected his statement, refining it to ‘we must politically sideline him. Keep him from returning. That’s our imperative.’
Throughout his presidency, Biden has made it a point to maintain a respectable boundary between his office and the Justice Department, especially concerning the ongoing probes into his predecessor. Biden has been consistent in reassuring that his administration has never allowed political biases to seep into its approach to these investigations into Trump.
However, Biden’s remarks on Tuesday clearly disrupted the usual order of things, right around the same time Vice President Kamala Harris was trying to quell chants calling for Trump’s imprisonment at her own rallies. The refrain ‘lock her up’ was frequently heard among Trump supporters as a critique of the Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, during Trump’s 2016 campaign.
In addition, as Trump has been working towards reclaiming the seat of power, he consistently and baselessly claims that the investigations against him by the Justice Department are politically flavored. Trump’s campaign wasted no time in utilizing Biden’s comments, swiftly sharing a video of his statement on their social media platforms.
Trump campaign’s national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stated starkly that ‘Joe Biden just revealed the truth: his and Kamala’s strategy has always been to politically target their contender, President Trump, because they realize they can’t win on a level playing field.’ She further condemned the ‘Harris-Biden Administration’ as the authentic risk to democracy, urging Kamala Harris to denounce ‘Joe Biden’s disgraceful comments.’
While no official reaction was released from the White House, aides keenly remarked that President Biden promptly clarified his statement on stage to specify ‘politically sideline him.’ Trump, who himself has faced several indictments and has made history by being the first standing or former president convicted in a criminal case, frequently claims during his 2024 campaign that he’d aggressively target political adversaries, should he assume power again.
Both Biden and Harris have been uncompromising in cautioning voters about the potential threat Trump poses to democracy if he comes back into power. According to the President, ‘There’s only two things we can do. Ensure that he doesn’t. Or if he does, make sure we have the strongest Democratic majority we can get.’
President Biden was also emphatic in his allegations that certain Republicans, especially Trump-supporting ones, possess un-democratic attitudes. As he put it, ‘We’re dealing with a different beast altogether.’ Reminiscing the harsh times of the civil rights era, Biden expressed his belief of walking through the same fire now. He relayed his concerns about a set of ‘MAGA Republicans’ that seem to go against democratic principles in their attitudes towards the functions of the Constitution.
The President did not hold back from launching jabs at Trump during the official policy event held at a nearby community college as well. Regarding Trump, Biden scornfully remarked, ‘My predecessor, the distinguished former president, he wants to replace the Affordable Care Act with… what he calls a concept of a plan.’ The President then accused Trump of lacking any substantive ideas.
Sen. Bernie Sanders from nearby Vermont, celebrated for his progressive principles and his two-time Democratic presidential nomination runs, got the audience warmed up before President Biden took the stage. Making light of the situation and their ages, the President jested, ‘Bernie and I… have been in the trenches for a long time. We might seem like we’re 40, but we’re a tad older. At least I am.’
? Joe Biden just said the quiet part out loud:
“We gotta lock [President Trump] up.” pic.twitter.com/nz9UkH7yf4
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 22, 2024