Joe Biden, in a rare direct attack on his Republican predecessor, on Thursday denounced the “extremism” of Donald Trump and his supporters, accusing them of shaking the “very foundations” of American democracy, in the city that was the cradle.
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Speaking in Philadelphia (east), he claimed: “Donald Trump and the ‘MAGA Republicans’ represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic”.
The former president and those who subscribe to his ‘Make America Great Again’ ideology “do not respect the Constitution. They don’t believe in the rule of law. They do not recognize the will of the people” hammered the Democratic president, in this rare speech in “primetime”.
Behind him, standing out all illuminated against the night sky, the “Independence Hall”, a red brick building where the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution were adopted.
The Democrat, who held her first presidential candidate meeting in Philadelphia, also knows that the state where she is, Pennsylvania, may hold the key to the November legislative elections. And therefore the rest of his mandate.
Representatives of the radical right “applaud the anger. They feed on chaos. They do not live in the light of truth, but in the shadow of lies,” chanted the 79-year-old president, who wants to galvanize the Democratic electorate and convince the undecided.
Joe Biden had already sung during his campaign the refrain on the “battle” to be fought for “the soul of America”.
Once elected, this veteran politician had bet that the “battle” would be fought through dialogue with elected Conservatives of good will, and through reforms in favor of the middle class.
But the great air of reconciliation has been muted.
Each favorable poll encourages Joe Biden to let go of his blows, he who recently accused supporters of Donald Trump of adhering to an ideology of “semi-fascism”.
The term has outraged the conservative camp, which accuses the president of stoking divisions.
Kevin McCarthy, a Republican elected official who covets the prestigious leadership of the House of Representatives, accused Joe Biden on Thursday of “demonizing” “tens of millions of hard-working, law-abiding Americans.”
According to a poll published Thursday by the Wall Street Journal, if the midterm legislative elections were held today, 47% of voters would vote Democrat, and 44% Republican. The right still had a 5-point lead in March.
The Democrats begin to dream of a feat during this election which renews the entire House of Representatives and a third of the Senate, and which is traditionally unfavorable to the party represented in the White House.
Opinion polls are not infallible and, in American political life, two months is an eternity. But the political debate has shifted since the beginning of the summer.
Inflation subsided, while Joe Biden passed a series of reforms, and announced the death of the leader of Al-Qaeda. What blunt two angles of attack of the Republicans: the defense of purchasing power, and the skills of the oldest president ever elected in the United States.
The Democrats, led by Joe Biden, want to move the debate on the defense of the right to abortion and the achievements of society, and the defense of democracy.
With Donald Trump in his sights, who said Thursday that he intended to pardon all the assailants of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, if he was ever re-elected to the White House.
The Democratic Party, to which it will be difficult to keep the House of Representatives, hopes to keep its majority in the Senate.
Which means winning Pennsylvania. Joe Biden has already been there on Tuesday and will return there on Monday. Donald Trump will be there on Saturday.