VALLEY FORGE, Pennsylvania – In his first campaign speech of 2024, President Joe Biden characterized his likely opponent, Donald Trump, as a significant threat to American democracy. Addressing the crowd at a key site in the American Revolutionary War, Biden explicitly drew a line to the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol to make his case.
The speech saw Biden returning to a theme he has invoked over and over in recent years, with a focus on preserving democracy and highlighting the stark differences between him and Mr. Trump. This time, he accused Trump of trying to “steal history” and attacked his rival by name repeatedly, emphasizing the importance of democracy in America.
Biden’s narrative of safeguarding democratic values not only resonates with the Democratic base, but it also proved effective in the 2022 midterms. The issue “has incredible resonance with the Democratic base,” said a former Biden 2020 senior campaign adviser. Recent polling has indicated that Americans’ views of the 6 January attack are starkly divided along partisan lines, with Republicans now less likely to believe it was a violent attack.
Biden’s reelection campaign has re-focused on democracy, echoing his 2020 campaign as the candidate capable of restoring America to normalcy and describing the 2022 midterms as a “battle for the soul of this nation”. This strategic move has garnered support from Democratic allies, with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressing his approval of the president’s emphasis on democratic values.
As the 2024 election continues to unfold, Biden’s narrative of preserving democracy versus Trump’s alleged threat to American democracy sets the stage for a heated campaign. The stakes are high, and the battle for the soul of the nation continues to be a central theme in the political landscape.