On Friday, President Joe Biden took his re-election campaign to the pivotal swing state of Pennsylvania, drawing a clear line between himself and his predecessor in what can be seen as the first rally of his 2024 general election campaign.
Delivering his speech in the Philadelphia suburbs, Biden’s rhetoric echoed his State of the Union address from the previous night, albeit with some notable deviations. Unlike his State of the Union address, Biden did not shy away from naming his predecessor and potential 2024 rival, Donald Trump.
“Donald Trump with the MAGA Republicans are trying to take away our freedoms,” Biden declared to the crowd on Friday. “That’s not an exaggeration. We will not let him.”
Biden took aim at Trump’s role in the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade, his $2 trillion tax cut, and his recent comments suggesting Russian President Vladimir Putin should have free rein over NATO member countries who fail to meet funding obligations.
He also criticized Trump’s meeting with Hungary’s autocratic Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at Mar-a-Lago. “Orbán of Hungary, who stated flatly he doesn’t think democracy works — he’s looking for dictatorship. That’s who he’s meeting with,” Biden said. “I see a future where we defend democracy, not diminish it.”
Biden also referenced his exchange with GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene during his State of the Union address. He responded to Greene’s criticism of his border policies, which she blames for the death of Laken Riley, a nursing student allegedly killed by an undocumented immigrant.
Throughout his speech, Biden positioned the 2024 election as a choice between a return to the past or a leap into the future. He emphasized his commitment to core American values of honesty, decency, fairness, and equality, contrasting this with Trump’s narrative of resentment, revenge, and retribution.
Despite some criticism from his own party over his State of the Union address, Biden defended his use of the term “illegal” to describe the suspect accused of killing Riley. He also addressed a hot-mic moment discussing humanitarian aid to Gaza with a lawmaker, and his interaction with GOP Sen. Katie Britt in response to his speech.
Reported by CNN’s Donald Judd and MJ Lee.