President Joe Biden positively addressed the anti-Israeli protesters outside of the Democratic National Convention on night one. “Those, those protesters out in the street, they have a point,” Biden told the crowd in the United Center after anti-Israel protesters marched on the convention calling for an end to the U.S. support of Israel. “A lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides” Biden said.
President Biden also discussed the Israel-Hamas war and took shots at former President Donald Trump, and accused him of “being a dictator” if elected to office. “Donald Trump says he will refuse to accept the election result if he loses again. Think about that. He means it. Think about that. He’s probably seeing a bloodbath if he loses. In his words, and that he’ll be a dictator on day one. In his own words, by the way, this sucker means it. No, I’m not joking. Think about it.”
“This will be the first presidential election since January 6th,” Biden said. “On that day, we almost lost everything about who we are as a country and that threat. This is not hyperbole. That threat is still very much alive.”
As for the Middle East, Biden stated: We’re working around the clock” to end the civilian suffering of the Palestinian people and finally, finally, finally deliver a ceasefire and end this war.”
“We’re working around the clock. My Secretary of State, to prevent a wider war and reunite hostage to their families and surge humanitarian, health and food assistance into Gaza. Now. To end the civilian suffering of the Palestinian people and finally, finally, finally deliver a cease-fire and end this war.”
Fox News reports that in the same speech, Biden repeated the claim that Trump said there were “fine people” on “both sides” of the 2017 Charlottesville protest which has been debunked by several fact checkers.
Criticizing Trump was a major theme in Biden’s speech, which did not conclude until after midnight on the East Coast. “I never thought I’d stand before a crowd of Democrats and refer to a president who’s a liar so many times,” Biden said. “Now, I’m not trying to be funny. It’s sad.”
Biden also hit Trump on abortion and the overturning of Roe v. Wade, warning that Trump “is going to find out the power of women in 2024.”
“Now, where Trump is MAGA Republican, right-wingers seek to erase history,” Biden said. “We Democrats continue to write history and make more history. I’m proud. I’m proud to have kept my commitment to appoint the first black woman in the United States Supreme Court. Ketanji Brown Jackson. A symbol for every young woman in America that you can do anything.”
Biden also renewed the allegation that Trump called military members who had died in battle “suckers” and “losers”, which Trump and sources present at the time have said did not occur.
“Who in the hell does he think he is?” Biden said.
“Who does he think he is? There’s no words for a person. There are not the words for a person not worthy of being commander in chief. Period. Period. Not then, not now, and not ever. I mean that I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Just as no commander chief should ever bow down to a dictator, the way Trump bowed down to Putin, I never have. And I promise you, Kamala Harris will never do it, will never bow down.”
As for Kamala Harris, Biden stated: “Selecting Kamala was the very first decision I made before I became when I became our nominee, and it was the best decision I made my whole career,” Biden said.
“We’ve not only gotten to know each other, we’ve become close friends. She’s tough, she’s experienced, and she has enormous integrity, enormous integrity. Her story represents the best American story.”
