President Joe Biden to Warn Voters of Democratic Threats on Jan. 6 Anniversary
President Joe Biden will commemorate the three-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol with a warning to voters about the threat posed by Republican Donald Trump to the country’s standing as a free democracy. Trump, who is vying for the Republican nomination for president again, contested his defeat in the 2020 election, inciting his supporters to storm the Capitol in a failed bid to overturn the certification of the results.
Speaking at George Washington’s Revolutionary War-era headquarters in Pennsylvania, Biden will kick off the 2024 campaign year, emphasizing that voting for him means safeguarding America’s democratic values, while a vote for Trump would lead to an uncertain future. Biden’s speech, originally scheduled for the day before the Jan. 6 anniversary, was moved to avoid a winter storm.
Biden’s team considers Pennsylvania a crucial state in the upcoming election and anticipates a close race. In 2020, Biden secured victory in Pennsylvania with 50.01% of the vote, while Trump had won the state in 2016 with 48.58%.
The impact of Biden’s speech, delivered in a politically polarized country with 10 months until Election Day, remains to be seen. Despite the president consistently warning about Trump’s dangerous influence, millions of the former president’s supporters remain unwavering in their loyalty, with Trump leading the Republican nomination race in public opinion polls.
However, Biden’s arguments have not assuaged the concerns of his own supporters regarding the state of the economy or his age. At 81, Biden remains under scrutiny, while Trump, at 77, portrays himself as a victim of persecution and portrays Biden as corrupt.
Though Trump faces federal charges related to election interference, he has publicly contemplated acting as a dictator from day one if elected and has vowed to retaliate against his political opponents through investigations and imprisonment. On the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack, Trump plans to campaign in Iowa, which will host the first Republican nominating contest on Jan. 15. His main rivals have largely avoided discussing the attack or Trump’s involvement in it.
Trump’s lawyers have argued that his remarks to supporters on the day of the riot were protected by his constitutional right to free speech and have denied his involvement in the insurrection. Authorities continue to seek information about more than 80 individuals who participated in violent acts at the Capitol and remain unidentified. The U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Matthew Graves, explained that there are two more years to charge the rioters before the statute of limitations expires.
Our democracy is fragile, Graves stressed during an update on the investigation. We cannot replace votes and deliberation with violence and intimidation.
Biden’s Friday event is officially labeled as a re-election campaign, representing his most significant engagement on the campaign trail to date following a year focused on showcasing his legislative achievements and discussing the economy in White House events separate from the campaign.
In the run-up to the 2024 election, Biden’s team plans to combine the threat-to-democracy narrative with discussions on key domestic topics such as job growth, inflation reduction, healthcare, gun violence, and abortion rights. Their goal is to win over the coalition of 81 million voters that propelled Biden to victory in 2020, while the Democrats then controlled both houses of Congress. In the 2022 mid-term elections, Democrats lost control of the House of Representatives but held onto the Senate by a slim margin.
According to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, Trump holds a narrow lead over Biden in a head-to-head matchup, with 38% support compared to Biden’s 36%. However, with 26% of respondents undecided or open to voting for another candidate, the race remains competitive. To prepare for his speech, Biden invited historians and scholars to the White House for a discussion on the threats faced by the country’s democracy.
The audience for Biden’s speech is expected to include individuals directly affected by election denialism and the events of Jan. 6, as per an insider familiar with the planning process.
In summary, President Joe Biden will use the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attacks to issue a warning about the threat posed by Donald Trump to America’s democratic principles. Biden will emphasize that voting for him means preserving the nation’s democratic values, while a vote for Trump could lead to an uncertain future. The impact of Biden’s speech on a politically divided country, just months before the election, remains uncertain. Biden’s team plans to focus on critical domestic issues along with the narrative surrounding threats to democracy, aiming to rally the same coalition of voters that propelled him to victory in 2020. Trump currently leads in the Republican nomination race, despite facing federal charges related to election interference. The investigation into the Jan. 6 attack continues, with authorities seeking information on unidentified individuals involved in the violence. Biden’s speech will mark a significant moment in his campaign efforts, as he looks to maintain support and secure reelection in the face of daunting challenges on multiple fronts.
