Biden Lashes Out At Trump With Vivid Riff on Capitol Riot During Private Fundraiser
President Joe Biden lashed out at former President Donald Trump with a vivid denunciation of Trump’s behavior on Jan. 6 in some of his sharpest attacks of the campaign so far.
The president’s campaigning thus far has been restricted to fundraisers at which cameras are not present, which was the case this week when he spoke at a closed-door fundraising reception at the St. Regis Washington, D.C. hotel to a group of about 60 guests following his appearance at the Tribal Nations Summit.
Biden’s remarks covered much of the ground he’d spoken about earlier, but also included a much more aggressive chunk about Trump that took on his actions during the violence at the Capitol and recent Trump comments that have been widely compared to Nazi rhetoric — as well as a confident quip about his own “next inauguration”:
When I first ran for president, you may recall, I said at the Independence Hall up in Philadelphia that I thought democracy was at stake. And I think a lot of people thought I was exaggerating. But I don’t think anybody thinks that anymore. I really don’t.
We all know what happened on January the 6th. Trump sat in the private dining room off of the Oval Office for hours, watching it all unfold on television as a mob attacked the Capitol Police and desecrated the Capitol, as the mob threatened the life of his own vice president, because the Vice President refused to violate the constitution and do what he wanted done.
We all know what became of that first losing presidential candidate in history who refused to accept the will of the people. He didn’t even show up for my inauguration. I can’t say it disappointed me. (Laughter.)
But think about it: Only two other presidents in all of American history, in the middle of wars — wars North and South — didn’t show up for the inauguration of the next president. My guess is he’s not going to show up on my next inauguration either. (Laughter and applause.)
And hear his words today. He says he’s running not to serve the people of America but to get “revenge” and “retribution.” God bless me. (Laughter.)
He said it’s time — and I quote, “the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.”
He’s not — I’m not making these words up. You hear it. That’s what he’s saying.
What do you think that means when it comes to upholding — upholding federal trust and treaty obligations to — to Tribal Nations? I’m serious.
He called those who oppose him “vermin,” language that echoes what we heard in Nazi Germany in the ‘30s. It has a sp- — how many times have you heard any political person refer to another opponent as “vermin,” other than when you read your history on the — during the Nazi era?
He threatened to use the American military — the American military on the streets of America to go after his political opponents — the Insurrection Act.
He called, again, to get the Affordable Care Act, which supports Indian Health Services, eliminated. This will be the 51st time they tried it. No, I’m serious. I know that sounds bizarre.
Read the full speech here.
