President Joe Biden’s farewell address contained an ominous warning about his successor Donald Trump and the wealthy people that advise the incoming presidnet.
‘I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And this is a dangerous concern. And that’s the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra wealthy people. And the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked,’ he said.
Biden compared those coming into power to the ‘robber barons’ of the early 20th century.
‘Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights, the freedoms and the fair shot for everyone to get ahead,’ he added, in a reference to the wealthy advisers to Trump, which includes Elon Musk.
He also argued the constitution should be amended so Trump wouldn’t have immunity in office. The Supreme Court ruled that presidents have that protection and Democrats have fretted about what Trump would do with unlimited power.
‘We need to amend the constitution to make clear that no president, no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office. The president’s power is not limit. It’s not absolute, and it shouldn’t be,’ Biden said.
He delivered his prime-time speech on Wednesday night to make his case for his presidency as he reluctantly leaves the White House after five decades in politics.
‘This will be my final address to you from the American people, from the Oval Office, from this desk as president. And I’ve been thinking a lot about who we are and maybe even more importantly, who we should be,’ he said.
He made his final address to the nation from the Oval Office, speaking from behind the Resolute Desk. Ahead of his remarks, the White House released a document detailing his his four years as president. It ran over 100 pages.
In his speech, which lasted about 20 minutes, Biden didn’t mention Donald Trump by name but said he ‘wished the incoming administration’s success because I want America to succeed.’
‘That’s why I have held my duty to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition of power, to ensure we lead by the power of our example. I have no doubt that America is in a position to continue to succeed.’
President Joe Biden gives his farewell address to the nation
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Vice-President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and Hunter Biden listen in the Oval Office
He also tried to cement his legacy as president, arguing the full affects of his time in office haven’t been felt yet.
‘It will take time to feel the full impact of all we’ve done together. But the seeds are planted and they’ll grow and they’ll bloom for decades to come,’ he said.
First lady Jill Biden, Hunter Biden and Melissa Cohen sat along the side to listen to Biden speech. Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff were present.
Biden thanked his family and his vice president. When he did so, Jill Biden reached over to take Harris’ hand – a move that came amid reports the two women do not get along.
‘It’s been the highest honor of my life to lead you as commander in chief and of course, to Kamala and her incredible partner. The historic vice president. She and Doug have become like family. And to me, family is everything,’ he said.
‘My deepest appreciation to our amazing first lady who was with me in the Oval today, for our entire family. You’re the love of my life and the lives of my love, my eternal thanks to you, the American people.’
But his speech was peppered with other warnings: particularly about the ‘tech industrial complex’ and climate change.
‘I’m equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country, as well. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling, editors are disappearing,’ he said.
‘Social media is giving up on fact checking,’ he added in a direct hit at Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who announced his company was giving that up. Zuckerberg is attending Trump’s inauguration and co-hosting an event for the president-elect.
‘The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy from the abuse of power,’ Biden said.
As seen through a window from the Colonnade outside the Oval Office, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden, Hunter Biden and Melissa Cohen Biden watch as President Joe Biden gives his farewell address
‘This will be my final address to you from the American people, from the Oval Office, from this desk as president,’ Biden said
Biden also referred to the wildfires burning parts of Los Angeles.
‘The existential threat of climate change has never been clearer. Just look across the country, from California to North Carolina.’
‘Powerful forces want to wield their unchecked influence to eliminate the steps we’ve taken to tackle the climate crisis, to serve their own interests for power and profit. We must not be bullied into sacrificing the future, the future of our children and our grandchildren. We must keep pushing forward and push faster. There’s no time to waste,’ he warned.
Much of his speech reflected the ideas he originally ran on – the spirit of America.
He also gave an odd comparison to the Statue of Liberty.
‘Like America, the Statue of Liberty is not standing still. Her foot literally steps forward atop a broken chain of human bondage. She’s on the march, and she literally moves. She was built to sway back and forth, to withstand the fury of stormy weather, to stand the test of time. Because storms are always coming. She sways a few inches, but she never falls into the current below. An engineering marvel,’ he said.
‘The statue of liberty is also an enduring symbol of the soul of our nation, a soul shaped by forces that bring us together and by forces that pull us apart. And yet, through good times and tough times, we’ve withstood it all.’
He concluded with his thanks.
‘After 50 years of public service, I give you my word, I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands. A nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure. Now it’s your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame, may you keep faith. I love America,’ he said.
Biden, 82, has spent the past few weeks trying to cement his legacy, going on a farewell tour as wildfires rage through California.
The president laid out his foreign policy accomplishments on Monday. On Wednesday he announced a ceasefire deal in the Middle East designed to end the war in Gaza and bristled at a question of whether Donald Trump also deserved credit.
The White House social media accounts have been in over drive, posting lists of Biden’s accomplishments: his infrastructure law, the clean energy initiatives and bringing the country out of the COVID pandemic.
Biden, in a letter to the nation released Wednesday morning, described the country as ‘stronger, more prosperous and more secure’ than it was four years ago.
‘It has been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years,’ Biden wrote.
‘Nowhere else on Earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as President of the United States,’ he said.
‘I have given my heart and my soul to our nation. And I have been blessed a million times in return with the love and support of the American people.’
He also touted his economic record, which included a string of more than 40 consecutive months of job, but also a period of high inflation that spiked concerns about his handling of the economy and contributed to his election loss.
‘Today, we have the strongest economy in the world and have created a record 16.6 million new jobs. Wages are up. Inflation continues to come down. The racial wealth gap is the lowest it’s been in 20 years.’
‘We’re rebuilding our entire nation—urban, suburban, rural, and Tribal communities. Manufacturing is coming back to America,’ Biden wrote.
But his presidency had its failures, including his quest to expand social services, including lowering the cost of child care and sustaining programs to cut child poverty.
There was the disastrous 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan where 13 American soldiers were killed in an airport bombing. And his controversial pardon of his son Hunter.
Ukraine’s war with Russia also hangs over the final days of the Biden’s presidency.
Donald Trump beat Kamala Harris by a huge margin in November – even clinching victory in all seven of the swing states. Biden thinks he would have won a rematch
Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on January 20th, 2021 as Jill Biden holds the Bible and their children Ashley and Hunter watch
Biden himself has been wistful as his prepares to leave the White House on January 20th.
He’s even argued he could have beaten Donald Trump in the November election.
‘It’s presumptuous to say that, but I think yes,’ Biden told USA Today, citing polling he reviewed.
He reluctantly ended his presidential ambitions in July, after a disastrous debate performance against Trump led Democrats leaders to nudge him out the door.
His age was evident as he searched for words, fumbled in his message and shuffled on to the stage.
He leaves office with the lowest approval numbers of his presidency. A CNN poll found only 36% of adults say they approve of the way Biden handled his time in office, matching his previous low mark in CNN polling during his term.
Trump, meanwhile, comes in with a mandate, having won the popular vote and every battleground state.
Biden, however, has vowed to stay a part of public life.
‘I’m not going to be out of sight or out of mind,’ he said last week when asked about his post-presidential life.
He will visit Charleston, South Carolina on Sunday – his final full day as president of the United States. His victory state’s primary put him on the road to winning the Democratic nomination in the 2020 presidential race.
He and Jill Biden will attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday. Then they will head to California, NBC News reported, to stay in Santa Ynez, where they spent time in August on vacation.
After Trump takes the oath of office, they will board the blue-and-white 747 for their journey west.
But it will no longer be Air Force One – the designation for the plane that carries the President of the United States. The flight will simply be known as Special Mission.