The old axiom trotted out in every presidential reelection campaign is, "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" Today, Joe Biden turned that sentiment on its head, effectively recasting it as, "Are you safer than you were four years ago?"
In a blistering speech delivered this afternoon, Biden cast President Trump as an agent of not only chaos, but outright danger, citing everything from his stoking of racial unrest, to his all but non-existent pandemic response, to his fumbling of the economy.
The speech was delivered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a state that is key to either candidate's victory in November.
This is a strong speech by Biden. He could've easily sounded defensive, but instead he made this a referendum on Trump's handling of race relations, public safety, and the pandemic, where the incumbent continues to have very low ratings. https://t.co/MDsl2HCbeT
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) August 31, 2020
In response to Trump's claims that the election of Biden would bring the waves of protest that have ignited in many cities spread to the suburbs, Biden took a hard-line stance against the protests' sometimes violent episodes.
"I want to be very clear about all of this: Rioting is not protesting. Looting is not protesting. Setting fires is not protesting. None of this is protesting."
"It's lawlessness, plain and simple. And those who do it should be prosecuted. Violence will not bring change, it will only bring destruction. It's wrong in every way."
And Biden leveraged his decades-long tenure in Congress to appeal directly to the white suburban voters Trump is attempting to frighten into reelecting him.
"You know me. You know my heart. You know my story, my family's story."
"Ask yourself: Do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?"
Biden also addressed Trump's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, especially in light of the recent revelation that Putin had offered the Taliban bounties to kill American soldiers.
"Not even American troops can feel safer under President Trump."
As for the President himself, Biden attacked him far more directly than he did at his closeing Democratic National Convention speech, where he never mentioned the President by name.
"Donald Trump has been a toxic presence in our nation for four years. Will we rid ourselves of this toxin? Or will we make it a permanent part of our nation's character?"
On Twitter, there was mountains of praise for Biden's speech.
Joe Biden just delivered an amazing speech. He said EXACTLY what he needed to say—in a passionate and also tough way—at the exact time he needed to say it.
— Matt Lewis (@mattklewis) August 31, 2020
Hubby heard the Biden speech just now and sent $100 bucks to Biden campaign immediately after.
😊❤️
— it's just me (@msmary128) August 31, 2020
'Mic. Freaking. Drop.': Americans applaud Biden speech slamming the 'violence we're seeing in Donald Trump's America' - https://t.co/SjDBBWuPGl
— Nancy Sinatra (@NancySinatra) August 31, 2020
Great speech by Biden. Encouraging and important. He keeps exceeding expectations in his speeches. https://t.co/NtYBm9aZAY
— Andrew Sullivan (@sullydish) August 31, 2020
And many felt it was precisely the antidote to Trump's rhetoric
Our next President @JoeBiden again showing #BidenCalm is the way to defeat #TrumpViolence. https://t.co/QekmkrdDkm
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) August 31, 2020
Trump's people are scrambling like crazy right now after Joe Biden's Pittsburgh speech. Biden literally debunked everything that Trump has been trying to sell to the public over the past few weeks about crime in America, and Trump knows it.
— Mrs. Krassenstein (@HKrassenstein) August 31, 2020
The White House @PressSec refusing to condemn violence committed by Trump supporters on the day of this Biden speech is a massive error - right up there with @KellyannePolls's “the more violence, the better" line.
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) August 31, 2020
Biden gave his best speech of the campaign.
He and Kamala should go to Charlotte, Milwaukee, Detroit, etc and keep giving these speeches.
The POTUS is going to say something crazy during his presser which will be a great juxtaposition.
— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) August 31, 2020
i'm watching this biden speech and it is incredible how the trump campaign keeps giving him the easiest layups to make. first it was “biden is demented and incoherent and cannot speak in public" and now it is “biden won't condemn violence"
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) August 31, 2020
Biden's Pittsburgh speech was very strong.
Trump's press briefing was...not.
— Victoria Brownworth #GetYourBallotNow (@VABVOX) September 1, 2020
Biden's speech also comes after months on end where the former Vice President hasn't traveled outside his native Delaware or the Philadelphia area due to the pandemic. He recently told supporters who attended a virtual fundraiser that he plans to visit Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Minnesota in the coming weeks.
