Evaluating Biden’s Quasi-Swan Song
Decades before retiring, in my professorial role I spent about 2 decades evaluating political (and student) speeches. I feel called upon tonight to do some evaluation of President Biden’s speech, given at 8:00 p.m., several hours ago, which took him past what has become accepted as his optimal hours, ending at 8:00 p.m. every night.
Joe Biden’s speech was intended ostensibly to explain why he had withdrawn from the presidential race, but not the presidency, and to reconcile this decision with the longstanding claims by his supporters and himself that he was fine and behind the scenes was more than capable of running a campaign and serving through another 4 and 1/2 years.
The speech was also intended to explain why he had to withdraw but could still meet the considerable demands of the presidency, including being the commander-in-chief.
The speech was simply filled with incongruities. He began by citing Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, as models of democracy, two presidents that his progressive political allies know mainly not as exemplars of leadership, but as slave owners.
He then flattered his vice president, Kamala Harris, who incredibly enough boycotted Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to a Joint Session of Congress, as “tough” and “capable” and an “incredible partner,” without further explanation.
He made no reference to thousands of anti-Semites who had descended on Washington to protest Netanyahu’s speech and many to protest Jewish citizens in general, all, parenthetically, ignored by both the president and the vice president. Neither was there any reference to the assassination attempt on candidate former president Donald Trump.
As for particulars in Biden’s speech, some observations:
1. It was generally a disappointing farewell address of about 12 minutes
2. There was no explanation of the point at issue — why is he leaving the presidential race?
3 The superb pundit Dana Perino said he deserves to leave with dignity, but I would say that requires a moving on-point speech
4. Biden took an implicit overly simplistic non-substantive slap at Trump: we must, Biden said, choose between hope and hate
5. Biden indicated he’s going to save democracy after undemocratically overseeing the Democratic anointing of Kamala as the presidential candidate
6. Biden bizarrely and irrelevantly irresponsibly promised Supreme Court reform
7. Biden disingenuously claimed he was always leveling with us…as with his sudden withdrawal?
8. Biden said he will keep fighting climate crisis…have temperatures moderated in last 3 and 1/2 years?
9. Biden says we are “beating China:” any evidence, Mr. President?
10. Biden claims good news on the violent crime rate and border crossings? Really? 10,000,000 new illegals in U.S. and crime is little changed in many geographic locations
Donald Trump may be the better choice only because the Democratic Party has no moderate nominees available.
President’s Speech: Gentleman’s C-
Richard E. Vatz is professor emeritus of political rhetoric at Towson University and author of The Only Authentic of Persuasion: the Agenda-Spin Model (Authors Press, 2022) and many other works, essays and op-eds. He is a Distinguished Professor at Towson University and has won a number of teaching awards.