PHILADELPHIA — Standing in Philadelphia in front of Independence Hall, President Joe Biden warned Thursday night that the democracy born there faces an existential threat from former President Donald Trump and his allies, seeking to reframe the stakes and consequences of this fall’s midterm elections.
“As I stand here tonight, equality and democracy are under assault. We do ourselves no favor to pretend otherwise,” Biden said to open a searing 25-minute address. “Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the foundations of our very republic.”
In a sharply critical speech mixing dire concern with calls for voters to choose a different path, Biden pointed to Trump and his supporters’ long-running efforts to undermine the 2020 presidential election, excuse the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, and recent attacks on the FBI. He said the rule of law and future elections are on the brink, with danger lurking in this fall’s elections, when numerous Trump-endorsed candidates are seeking critical offices across the country, including some that will have oversight over the 2024 presidential election.
