“Your Freedom’s on the Ballot”: President Biden’s Stirring Speech

abuse of power, current events, democracy, election, insurrection, Joe Biden, Political wrongdoing 4 Minutes
President Biden Opens 2024 Campaign Underscoring Truth About Trump and January 6th

I know it’s asking a lot, but I hope you’ll spend the nearly forty minutes to watch the above video of President Biden’s critically important, hard-hitting speech commemorating the horrors of January 6, 2021–and detailing Trump’s plans to perpetuate those horrors.

Trump and the Republicans are now counting on historical revisionism and the cynical projection of claiming that it’s Biden who is the danger to democracy–not the hate-filled narcissist who’s told us he plans to be a dictator, shred the Constitution, and be his angry followers’ “revenge and retribution.”

If you don’t have the time or inclination to watch the speech, here’s the transcript. I’m providing several excerpts in the hope that you’ll be inspired to experience it in its entirety.

The president begins with a description of General George Washington preparing his troops at Valley Forge.

“In the winter of 1777, it was harsh and cold as the Continental Army marched to Valley Forge. General George Washington knew he faced the most daunting of tasks, to fight and win a war against the most powerful empire in existence in the world at the time. His mission was clear: liberty, not conquest. Freedom. Not domination. National independence. Not individual glory.

“America made a vow: Never again would we bow down to a king.“

….

Biden then poses the foundational question:

“Today, we gather in a new year, some 246 years later, just one day before January 6, a day forever seared in our memory because it was on that day that we nearly lost America, lost it all.

“Today, we’re here to answer the most important of questions. Is democracy still America’s sacred cause? I mean it.

“This is not rhetorical, academic or hypothetical. Whether democracy is still America’s sacred cause is the most urgent question of our time.

“And it’s what the 2024 election is all about.

“The choice is clear.“

After describing January 6th and Trump’s actions and inactions, the president makes this point:

“In trying to rewrite the facts of January sixth, Trump was trying to steal history, the same way he tried to steal the election.

“But…we knew the truth, because we saw it with our own eyes. So it wasn’t like something, a story being told. It was on television repeatedly. We saw it with our own eyes.

“Trump’s mob wasn’t a peaceful protest. It was a violent assault.

“They were insurrectionists, not patriots.

“They weren’t there to uphold the Constitution. They were there to destroy the Constitution.

….

“You can’t be pro-insurrectionist and pro-America.“

Biden then addresses the festering of the Big Lie and calls for a unified response.

“As time has gone on, gone on, politics, fear, money, all have intervened.

“And now these MAGA voices, who know the truth about Trump on January sixth, have abandoned the truth and abandoned the democracy.

“They made their choice.

“Now, the rest of us, Democrats, independents, mainstream Republicans, we have to make our choice.

“I know mine, and I believe I know America’s.

“We’ll defend the truth, not give in to the big lie.

“We’ll embrace the Constitution of the Declaration (sic), not abandon it.

“We’ll honor the sacred cause of democracy, not walk away from it.

He then depicts the threats against the freedoms that we’ve taken for granted–all the things we hold dear, such as the freedom to vote, to make personal health decisions, to speak our minds, “to be able to bring about peaceful change.”

From there he shows how America has long struggled:

“The push and pull of American history is not a fairy tale.”

But he points out the danger that’s unique at this time.

“Every stride forward in America is met with ferocious backlash, many times, from those who fear progress and those who exploit that fear for their own personal gain.

“From those who traffic in lies, told for power and profit. [From] those who are driven by grievance and grift, consumed by conspiracy and victimhood.

“From those who seek to bury history and ban books.

“Did you ever think you’d be at a political event and talk about book banning, for a presidential and a presidential election?

“The choice in contest between those forces, those competing forces, between solidarity and division, is perennial.

“But this time it’s so different.

“You can’t have a contest, you can’t have a contest, if you see politics as an all-out war instead of a peaceful way to resolve our differences.

“All-out war is what Trump wants.“

This is my favorite part.

“That’s why he doesn’t understand the most fundamental truth about this country.

“Unlike other nations on Earth, America is not built on ethnicity, religion, geography.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and women are created equal.

“It’s an idea, declared in the Declaration, created in a way that we’ve viewed everybody as equal and should be treated equal throughout their lives.

“We’ve never fully lived up to that. We have a long way to go, but we’ve never walked away from the idea.

“We’ve never walked away from it.

“And I promise you, I will not let Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans force us to walk away not only with a bill 💵 .“

Biden returns to George Washington near his closing, stressing the strength and wisdom of the father of our country’s decision to return to private life after serving two terms, when he could have made himself into a future monarch.

“But that wasn’t the America he and the American troops at Valley Forge fought for.”

“In America, genuine leaders, democratic leaders with a small D don’t hold on to power relentlessly.

“Our leaders return power to the people and they do it willingly because that’s the deal.

“You do your duty.

“You serve your country.“

….

In the Washington Post, columnist Eugene Robinson makes the case that Biden needs better messengers to get out the strong solid accomplishments he’s had in order to energize key constituencies, including Black Americans and younger voters.

Robinson concludes:

“Trump can’t beat Biden, but apathy just might. And the stakes are far too high to let that happen.”

I believe not only the substance of Biden’s speech, but also his impassioned, clear delivery, should be shared as widely as possible.

If you agree, please help spread his message–especially to people you know who may either not be aware of the importance of this election or be apathetic about the outcome.

Annie

Published by annieasksyou

I've been a nonfiction writer for many years, exploring diverse topics that pique my curiosity, as noted in my first blog posting (Greetings!). I'm seeking dialogue with others committed to joining me in this exploration, sharing my conviction that different views can be exchanged in a respectful, civil discourse where we can learn from one another and be agreeable, even when we disagree. These postings depend for their enrichment on your participation: your ideas, insights, knowledge, opinions, and personal stories.

Published

33 thoughts on ““Your Freedom’s on the Ballot”: President Biden’s Stirring Speech”

  1. I just *knew* you were going to give this the treatment it deserves; this ought to be on every op-ed page in papers and magazines. Thank you, annieasksyou!

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply

  2. If there’s any justice in this world, Trump will be tried, found guilty in one or more courts, and incarcerated before November. He has too many cowed officials, zealous partisans, hired hands, and ignorant followers working to elect him by hook or crook.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

      1. Nancy Pelosi says it all comes down to what families discuss around the kitchen table. She’s talking about attacks on Obamacare, Medicare, etc. Obamacare has reached the highest approval ratings yet.
        I think fear and hope are essential.

        Liked by 3 people

    1. I agree. The US presidential elections boil down to 6 or 7 states. Both parties spend millions on those states and basically ignore the rest of us. You can lose by 20 million votes and still win the EC. Biden’s team knew this and did not make the same mistake made by the Clinton team. National polls mean nothing. (And for the record, only the LA Times correctly predicted the 2016 election because they polled in the important states and asked the right questions. They said Trump was likely to win when everyone else said it could never happen)…. ….https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-polls-20161109-story.html

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

      1. Though this is our reality, I don’t think we should dwell on it. If we have any hope of defeating MAGA Republicanism, we must strive for a landslide everywhere to show the breadth and depth of Americans’ rejection. People in non-swing states must feel empowered too!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Annie. I have to disagree. Hillary Clinton went for a “landslide”. Her team went to the GOP dominated (at the time) Arizona and ignored Michigan and Wisconsin. In the last week of the campaign she focused on Florida (no chance of winning), Pennsylvania, North Carolina (no chance of winning) and New Hampshire. Only visited Michigan a couple times during the campaign, Wisconsin once. If she spent her time going back to Michigan, Wisconsin and PA she wins the Electoral College. The Dems do not need a landslide. They need 270 electoral votes. Her team was so excited about a landslide (which they did get in the popular vote) that they did not do the simple math. Had David Plouffe managed her campaign she would be POTUS today.

        Liked by 2 people

      3. I’m not suggesting that as a campaign strategy, Joseph. Of course they have to put most of their efforts in the swing states. I’m addressing voters in general: as Trump and allies will be trying every which way they can to suppress/reject votes, we need to make sure lots and lots of folks throughout the country vote and confirm their votes were counted so it’s harder for MAGA to try to perpetuate the Big Lie.

        Liked by 2 people

  6. Thanks very much, Annie! I was able to see this entire speech, and thought it was really excellent and well-delivered. I only hope that many Americans saw it and were moved by it. I also saw Biden’s next speech, yesterday, that was also great.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  8. I have seen some clips from his speech, and since it’s almost 3:00 a.m., I’m not watching tonight, but will try my best to do so tomorrow. I fully, 100% support President Biden and will do anything within my power to help him win! Thank you, Annie, for all that you do.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  10. I watched it live.🙂👍 I watched the monsters as well.😠It felt like an awakening. Joe is finding his legs and Donie is losing his. I was blessed with working with my master and mentor. He is 86 and a Christian Republican. I don’t generally push politics with him but yesterday he confided that he could not support anybody supporting trump. We are entering the 4th quarter of our presidential season. If you calm yourself the shift can be felt.😊We are winning, we must all vote like our lives depend upon it . It does.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

      1. Even Chris Christie has felt the momentum shift. The difficulty will be in keeping going while peaking in the fall.🙂
        If there are any out there who believe Joe is too old I would urge them to find an 80 year old skilled tradesman who has focused on a goal. I am doubly fatigued from the effort to assist and keeping the fiction that it was no struggle to keep up.😂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I read (in Politico, I think) that Biden has been meeting with small groups of donors and others who are concerned about his age and energy to run the campaign. The article quoted someone emerging from such a meeting who said: “That was great!”

        In comparisons with puffy old Trump, he looks terrific.

        Liked by 2 people

  11. Pingback: If Only the American Press Would Do This… – annieasksyou…

Leave a comment