Biden to label Trump a 'danger to democracy' who plotted to 'dismantle' US in upcoming January 6 speech
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: In a dramatic return from his St Croix vacation, President Joe Biden is poised to launch his 2024 campaign with a powerful speech near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, January 6.
The date marks the third anniversary of the 2021 Capitol attack, an event Biden will explicitly link to former President Donald Trump's alleged attempts to "dismantle and destroy our democracy."
Fears of White supremacy
As Biden gears up for a return to the campaign trail after spending a substantial 37 percent of 2023 on vacation, his focus appears to be to continue stoking fears of white supremacy - a recurring theme in his rhetoric since assuming office.
The President, alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, strategically plans to center their re-election campaign on concerns over white supremacy and domestic terrorism within the United States. The emphasis notably shifts attention away from pressing issues like the border collapse, rising crime rates, inflation, and the staggering $34 trillion national debt.
In May, Biden vowed to "stand up against the poison of white supremacy, as I did in my inaugural address — to single it out as the most dangerous terrorist threat to our homeland is white supremacy."
Despite Biden's concerted efforts, Donald Trump continues to maintain robust support among key demographics, including Hispanic voters, young people, and a consistent 12 percent backing from black voters since 2020.
The aftermath of the Capitol attack has been seized upon by fearmongering Democrats, who often portray Trump supporters as orchestrators of a "deadly insurrection." A critical detail frequently omitted is that the only casualty that day was unarmed Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt, shot by Capitol Police, with no clear justification emerging for the incident months later.
Historical symbolism
For President Biden, this upcoming speech provides an opportunity to reinforce his message that domestic terrorism and white supremacy constitute the primary threats to America. The chosen venue, Valley Forge, holds historical significance as the site where George Washington commanded his troops during the Revolutionary War.
Biden aims to draw parallels between himself and Washington, highlighting his long tenure in government and a commitment to peacefully transition power, a narrative notably distinct from Washington's legacy.
Following his address at Valley Forge, Biden plans to travel to Charleston, South Carolina, underscoring the historical weight of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. The church was the site of a tragic 2015 mass shooting, perpetrated by a 21-year-old white man convicted on federal hate crime and murder charges, claiming the lives of nine parishioners.
Campaign officials described it as a "historic venue that embodies the stakes of our nation at this moment."
Quentin Fulks, principal deputy campaign manager for Biden, added, "Whether it is white supremacists descending on a historic American city in Charlottesville, the assault on our nation’s capital on Jan 6, or a white supremacist murdering churchgoers at Mother Emanuel nearly nine years ago, America is worried about the rise in political violence and determined to stand against it."
Biden vs Trump in Iowa
As President Biden plans to focus on the nation's darkest moments, Donald Trump continues his campaign through Iowa, with less than two weeks remaining until the first-in-the-nation primary contest. In contrast to Trump's upbeat events, Biden intends to guide Americans through the country's historical struggles, stressing on the importance of the upcoming November election results.
Biden's campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodríguez, echoed the campaign's central message, saying, "The threat Donald Trump posed in 2020 to American democracy has only grown more dire in the years since. Our message is clear and it is simple. We are running a campaign like the fate of our democracy depends on it. Because it does."
In September 2022, Biden delivered a speech against a blood-red backdrop in Philadelphia, declaring, "Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic." The assertion, rooted in the events of January 6, has become the linchpin of Biden's re-election campaign, the Post Millennial reported.
As the campaign gains momentum, Biden's team promises a more forceful presence in 2024, countering criticisms about the 81-year-old's fitness for office.
The President plans to intensify his campaigning around January 22, marking the anniversary of Roe v Wade, aiming to highlight the Supreme Court's decision two years ago to overturn the 50-year-old decision legalizing abortion on a federal level, thus shaping the narrative for the upcoming election.
