President Joe Biden commenced his re-election campaign with a blistering critique of former President Donald Trump, whom he referred to as a “loser” and a danger to democracy.
What Happened: Biden, in his fiery inaugural campaign speech near Valley Forge, outside Philadelphia, reproached Trump and his supporters, blaming them for forsaking democracy following the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
"Today, we gather in a new year, some 246 years later, just one day before January 6 — a date forever seared in our memory because it was on that day that we nearly lost America, lost it all."
Biden equated Trump’s political maneuvers with those of Adolf Hitler and voiced apprehension about Trump’s utilization of a prison choir of Jan. 6 rioters at a campaign rally.
"Trump's assault on democracy isn't just part of his past, it's what he's promising for the future. He's being straightforward. He's not hiding the ball," Biden said.
"His first rally for the 2024 campaign opened with a choir of January 6 insurrectionists singing from prison on a cellphone while images of the January 6 riot playing on the big screen behind him at his rally. Can you believe that? This was like something out of a fairy tale — a bad fairy tale."
Meanwhile, Trump hit back in a Fox News Digital interview, labeling Biden as a “true threat to democracy” because of his incompetence. He also chastised Biden at a Sioux Center, Iowa campaign rally, alleging him of exploiting George Washington‘s legacy.
"Biden's record is an unbroken streak of weakness, incompetence, corruption and failure, other than that he's doing quite well, isn't he? That's a hell of a hell of a list, right? That's why Crooked Joe is staging his pathetic, fear-mongering campaign event in Pennsylvania today. Did you see him? He was stuttering through the whole thing, he's going, ‘He's a threat to Democracy,'" Trump said.
Why It Matters: The war of words comes at a time when Trump’s eligibility to run for president is under the scanner. The U.S. Supreme Court is slated to review the potential disqualification of Trump from the Colorado ballot over his alleged involvement in the Capitol attack. The decision could potentially impact Trump’s inclusion in ballots across several states, adding a layer of uncertainty to the 2024 presidential race.
Biden and the former president are the leading contenders in the primary race of their respective parties. The latest weekly Morning Consult poll asked registered voters who they would select in a hypothetical matchup of Trump versus Biden. Trump received 42% of the vote and Biden received 41% of the vote. 11% of voters selected ‘Someone Else' and 5% selected ‘Don't Know.'
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