President Biden Speaks to the Nation about Protecting Democracy & Political Violence

President Joe Biden made an address to the nation Wednesday night less than a week before the November 8th mid-term elections.

While the physical framing for the speech was Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the emotional underpinning was last Friday's assault on the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. 82-year-old Paul Pelosi remains in intensive care in a San Francisco hospital recovering from surgery to repair his skull. It was fractured by a hammer during the attack by a man shouting "Where's Nancy?"

Here is a portion of the text of Mr. Biden's address to the nation:

"For a long time, we’ve told ourselves that American democracy is guaranteed, but it’s not. We have to defend it, protect it, stand up for it, each and every one of us. That’s why tonight, I’m asking our nation to come together, unite behind the single purpose of defending our democracy regardless of your ideology.

We’re all called by duty and conscience to confront extremists who put their own pursuit of power above all else. Democrats, independents, mainstream Republicans, we must be stronger, more determined and more committed to saving American democracy. And MAGA Republicans are destroying American democracy.

We, the people, will not let anyone or anything tear us apart. Today, there are dangers around us we cannot allow to prevail. We hear — you’ve heard it, more and more talk about violence as an acceptable political tool in this country. It’s not. It can never be an acceptable tool.

So, I want to say this plain and simple: There is no place for political violence in America, period, none, ever." ~ President Joseph Biden (11/2/22)

Photo courtesy NY Times