I know writing about how Joe Biden gave a speech that was jam-packed with moments where the incoherency was on full-blown display is a bit like writing a “dog bites man” piece. But the one Biden gave in front of a group of Florida Democrats Tuesday, just one week out from the midterm elections, deserves special mention not just because it happened, but also because of what it was designed to do (but didn’t).
Biden was in Florida to, as CNN reported, rally the Democratic faithful there ahead of Election Day by invoking so-called “mega-MAGA Republicans” as the biggest threat this country has ever faced or whatever. During his speech – and in a predictable attempt at scaring senior citizens, he played up how Republicans were allegedly opponents of Social Security and Medicare, a blatantly false claim that even the Democrat apologists at the WaPo called Dems out on with a Four Pinocchios rating in October.
But Biden’s choice of location for his speech was rather odd, considering the well-documented demoralization of the state Democratic party after repeated electoral drubbings, with more anticipated to come. For instance, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appears to be a shoo-in for reelection over political chameleon Charlie Crist (who invited Biden to the state). Sen. Marco Rubio is sitting comfortably ahead of his Democratic opponent, Rep. Val Demings, in his own reelection battle.
Very early on during the rally, it was clear that the Democrats in attendance were about as enthusiastic as a wet mop. Below, we see Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a former DNC chair, begging the crowd to show some spirit ahead of Biden’s arrival. She wasn’t very successful:
Debbie Wasserman Schultz really knows how to work a crowd. pic.twitter.com/55j8CfVjRa
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 1, 2022
It didn’t get much better after Biden took the stage, with him referring to Wasserman Schultz as a U.S. Senator:
Biden to *Representative* Debbie Wasserman Schultz:
“I don’t have a greater friend in the United States Senate.” pic.twitter.com/1B6Rg1tVSi
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 1, 2022
At one point, Biden seemingly committed a self-own by talking about inflation, which is a top concern for voters right now and for which full blame is rightly being pinned on him. Here, he acknowledges without realizing it that Americans are struggling thanks to his policies:
BIDEN: “That’s what I call inflation. The end of the month. What you have left. You have no money. That’s inflation. What’s, what do you, the things you need. Are they going up? They are. They are.” pic.twitter.com/XBIEG8l7YO
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 1, 2022
Next, Biden told a whopper about what his policies have supposedly done to the deficit. Apparently, it was important for him to get this point out to the crowd because he had to yell it out:
Biden screams “THAT’S A FACT” that his policies have reduced the deficit.
This is a debunked lie. Even CNN and the Washington Post say his policies have increased deficit projections. pic.twitter.com/jGweriuTSd
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 1, 2022
In another clip, Biden is seen taking a swipe at Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott, who is the chairman of the NRSC, and making absolutely no sense:
Biden: “As they say in southern, ‘doesn’t know where y’all been. Got damn boy.'” pic.twitter.com/9DzSvtqrt4
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) November 1, 2022
In the next two clips, Biden talked about the death of his son Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in 2015. But at one point, he claimed during his speech that Beau Biden died in Iraq. Later, he talked about how he died of cancer:
Biden: “They talk about inflation .. inflation is a worldwide problem right now because of a war in Iraq… excuse me, the war in Ukraine. I’m thinking about Iraq because that’s where my son died.” pic.twitter.com/Ls0NbGBReK
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) November 1, 2022
Biden talks about his son dying of cancer a few minutes after he said his son died in the Iraq war pic.twitter.com/i9mTIuzwuS
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) November 1, 2022
Not only was this speech a classic Joe Biden fail, it was also a handler fail. What sane aide in his administration would send a guy to a state where he is not only deeply unpopular, but which has a state party that can’t get it together–to the point that not even national Democratic groups want to spend a lot of money on any type of meaningful broadcast, digital, and ground games for any of its candidates?
This reminds me of the speech Biden gave to the DNC a couple of weeks ago, where he reiterated his support for abortion and vowed to codify Roe v. Wade should Democrats maintain control of the House and pad their numbers in the Senate. Abortion is not a priority for most voters, and some polls show the crucial independent bloc have turned on him in part over this issue. White suburban women, who the Democrat party desperately need to help them win elections, are also fleeing the party, choosing to focus on kitchen table issues like inflation and the economy, which the GOP has vowed to address.
In effect, what Biden did during that particular speech was to sabotage whatever chances Democrats in battleground parts of the country might have had to get elected or reelected.
What did Biden do during his Tuesday speech? Not only did he further demoralize Florida Democrats, he also reminded the rest of the country in the process that he’s been a miserable failure at his job.
As I’ve said before, keep talking, Joe. Just keep on talking.
Related: GOP Groups Put on Clinics After Purported ‘Racist’ Crime Ads Prompt Media Pearl-Clutching
Join the conversation as a VIP Member