Joe Biden finally addressed the American people on Wednesday night about his decision to suspend his 2024 reelection campaign.
The brief address – which featured the slurred, halting speech that has become standard for the 81 year old – offered no additional details as to why he changed his mind about stepping aside. Instead, he reverted to the left’s typical talking points about threats to Democracy and rattled off vague platitudes about what he plans to accomplish in his last six months in office (think: curing cancer and reforming the Supreme Court).
The same media that was not shy about its desire to see Biden exit the race was also not shy about heaping praise on the now lame duck for his ‘George Washington-esque’ selflessness in the wake of the remarks. On Thursday’s show, Megyn was joined by actor and producer James Woods to discuss Biden’s speech and what the media got wrong about it.
Biden’s Speech
Biden spoke from the Oval Office for 11 minutes on Wednesday night, marking the first time he had spoken publicly since releasing a letter on X over the weekend to announce he was dropping out of the 2024 race.
No longer running cover the Biden White House, The New York Times described the speech as being delivered “sometimes haltingly” with “a rasp and a slight slur” in his voice. “Remember when The New York Times would point out how he was obviously deteriorating before the debate,” Megyn quipped. “Now maybe they are going to be super obvious and on the nose and all over his deterioration because he is a liability and he will be the dumping ground for everything in order to inoculate [Kamala Harris].”
In his remarks, Biden did not provide any new insight into why he decided to step down as the nominee after previously stating he would not. He implied, however, that he probably could not have defeated Donald Trump, which is what he believes needs to happen to “keep our republic.”
BIDEN: I revere this office, but I love my country more. It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president, but in the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think it is more important than any title… While I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future, all merited a second term, nothing, nothing could come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition. So, I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation…
When Ben Franklin was asked as he emerged from the convention going on, whether the founders have given America a monarchy or republic, Franklin’s response was “a republic, if you can keep it.” A republic if you can keep it. Whether we keep our republic is now in your hands.
Megyn noted that the speech was a “farewell address” of sorts for the president, and yet he chose to use the time to “stick the dagger in Trump.”
The Fawning Media
The reaction to Biden’s address from the media that has spent the last month forcing him out was overwhelmingly laudatory. NBC News’ Kristen Welker called it a “speech for the history books” and one that would be “replayed for decades to come.” And an emotional Van Jones told CNN viewers that Biden is a “good man” who “fell on his sword.”
Jones’ CNN colleague Abby Phillip likened him to George Washington, while Joy Reid made a similar comparison on MSNBC. “This was selfless on a level I think that’s important in a way we talk about George Washington being selfless and saying, ‘I could keep doing this for me because I think I can,” she said.
In Woods’ view, this portrayal of Biden does not align with the facts. “Joe Biden is not some happy, cheerful uncle,” he said. “He is a hair-sniffing, child-curious person who has been a bad man and a political hack for 50 years. He has never done anything but service himself and his family. He has been a puppet for somebody – I don’t know who – for the last four years and has been a political hack for 46 years before that.”
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Woods by tuning in to episode 848 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.