Opinion | In Praise of Joe Biden's Fighting Words

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While the rhetoric was strong, make no mistake: what's before the Democrats is a political project. And the question remains: will the president—and the party—do what it takes to vigorously pursue this project?

The January 6 speeches by both Biden and Harris were terrific. On January 5, I published a piece atto defend democracy. Yesterday morning’s speeches, especially the one by Biden, exceeded my wildest expectations.

Biden’s speech was, unsurprisingly, the stronger speech, for three reasons: because it explicitly named and described the former president’s effort to overturn the results of a democratic election; it carefully explained how insidious and absurd are Republican claims that the election was “stolen,” and was quite clear that Trump and his Republican supporters continue to threaten democracy; and because it was delivered with impressive and very real passion, by a man who was visibly and...

On the other hand, they rather bluntly recognize a truth: the country is in the midst of a struggle over democracy, and Biden’s words are fighting words. Thursday's speeches by both the president and the vice president were appropriately non-partisan, principled, and “statesmanlike.” But they definitely called the threat by name and announced a commitment to fighting it—and to fighting them.

They can easily do this, by overestimating their own civic virtue. By taking false comfort from platitudes about how ‘the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice.’ And by underestimating their enemy, and the fight that they face. These legislative solutions will require a very public and relentless campaign by the Biden administration and the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate. It will also probably require a very effective and politically savvy “roll out” of the House January 6 Commission’s findings, with well-orchestrated public hearings and social media public relations.

 

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unfortunately I think we know the answer to that question based on past performance

In praise of words. You know you're talking about a pathological liar, right?

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