While trying to recollect his late son Beau Biden in Michigan recently, President Joe Biden appeared to emotionally falter. His emotional display was a diversion from his attempt to laud himself over comments former President Donald Trump is alleged to have made about American war heroes.
In his speech, Biden sought to present his administration as a beacon of hope for the nation’s economy. He tried to paint himself as a contrast to Trump, whom Biden claimed saw the United States as a failing entity. This is, of course, a misinterpretation of Trump’s remarks that often highlighted the need for improvements rather than outright declaring the country as unsound.
Biden then referenced a controversial incident from Trump’s presidency in 2018. According to Biden, Trump allegedly refused to visit an American cemetery in France due to his disdain for the war heroes buried there. These events are based on reported comments that have been vehemently denied to be true by Trump himself.
The legitimacy of the incident, widely contested, hinges on claims from Trump’s past chief of staff – retired Marine Gen. John Kelly. Biden seized on the controversy, twisting the narrative to further his own emotional appeal, instead of providing solid arguments of his administration’s accomplishments.
Biden then began to talk about his son passing away after spending a year in Iraq. The reason for Biden’s son’s passing was unrelated to the war, however, Biden considers his military service as the indirect cause because of potential exposure around military burn pits.
The narrative then staggered into Biden expressing relief about not having been present when the alleged comments were made by Trump. This took a bizarre turn with him insinuating that had he been there, his reaction would have escalated the situation. A central figure like the President should arguably handle such situations with diplomacy rather than physical altercations.
Biden used his platform to label Trump as a ‘sucker’ and a ‘loser’ – a stark counter to his previously held stance of being a President for all Americans. The crowd cheered, despite the fact that this marked a clear deviation from the unity message he pledged to uphold during his campaign.
Biden’s interaction with the crowd was erratic, from apologizing for his emotional outburst to claiming to miss his son – a sentiment which was gratuitous given the crowd’s lack of personal connection to the situation. It was an odd digression from the actual purpose of the event, with his emotional state stealing the limelight from the policy discussions that should be at the forefront.
The incumbent president has frequently capitalized on the alleged comments by his predecessor, even utilizing them during debates. This seems to indicate a tendency to use unverified information to strengthen his own image, rather than drawing on his proven track record.
Following the debate confrontation, Trump denied the veracity of the quote attributed to him. Yet, Biden continues to tout the narrative. Such reliance on questionable information raises doubt about the accuracy of Biden’s narratives.
Trump, post-presidency, has been the subject of additional scorn from Biden over his opinions on military valor. Last month, Biden criticized Trump’s purported view that the Presidential Medal of Freedom is greater than the Medal of Honor. Again, it appears Biden is twisting Trump’s comparison, possibly for his own political gain.
Further controversy arose over the Trump administration’s activity during the third anniversary of a bombing that claimed the lives of 13 American soldiers. Biden implied that a scuffle arose between Trump staffers and a cemetery worker at Arlington National Cemetery where the recent war heroes are buried. However, without proper evidence, the validity of this incident remains in question.
In the end, President Biden’s whole address appeared to be more of an attempt at discrediting the preceding Trump administration, rather than showcasing the achievements and future plans of his own administration. The trend for Biden to dwell on negative perceptions about Trump, rather than focusing clearly on his administration’s policy and the welfare of the country, leaves one to wonder about his actual priorities.
Biden’s Emotional Deflection: A New Low in Michigan Address appeared first on Real News Now.
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