The president draws George Washington comparison in Valley Forge speech.
President Joe Biden traveled to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, on Friday to deliver a speech to mark the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. During his address, President Biden frequently drew a parallel between what he called his fight for “preservation of American democracy” and George Washington’s “sacred cause” during the struggle for American independence nearly 250 years ago.
He asserted that the return of former president Donald Trump to the White House poses a significant threat to democracy and the Constitution.
The president chose to deliver his speech near Valley Forge, a location of great historical significance as it served as George Washington’s headquarters for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. In the winter of 1777–1778, Gen. Washington and his troops camped at Valley Forge, which is about 18 miles west of Philadelphia.
“Today we gathered in a new year, just one day before January 6, a day forever seared in our memory because it was on that day when we nearly lost America—lost it all,” President Biden said during his speech.
“Today, we’re here to answer the most important questions. Is democracy still America’s sacred cause?”
Then President Biden went on to compare himself to his predecessor, President Trump, who is the leading candidate for the 2024 Republican nomination. He strongly criticized the former president and gritted his teeth several times to express his fury during his address.
“The choice is clear,” President Biden said. “Donald Trump’s campaign is about him, not America, not you. Donald Trump’s campaign is obsessed with the past, not the future. He’s willing to sacrifice our democracy to put himself in power. Our campaign is different. For me and Kamala, our campaign is about America. It’s about you.”
“The rule of one is not the rule of ‘We the People.’ That’s what the soldiers of Valley Forge understood,” he said.
The chosen venue for the speech, Montgomery County Community College, is situated about 15 miles from the historic site. The speech was moved up by a day due to a predicted winter storm in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic this weekend.
By Emel Akan
