What Biden NEEDS to say...
Jennifer Rubin (Washington Post) editorialized on President Biden's comments in his Summit for Democracy, noting he made some fine remarks, but generalized the situation. She drafted a speech for him that includes some specifics. Below are portions from her suggested message:
"Let me be specific. The former president and a majority of Republican House members sought to overturn the results of an election by resorting to strong-arm tactics and spurious legal maneuvers. Even House leadership embraced the “big lie” that the election was stolen. When the former president was unable to pressure the Justice Department and state officials to mount a coup to install him as president, he incited violence.
Virtually all Republican Senate members and a large majority of House Republicans refused to investigate the insurrection with a bipartisan commission. Some continue to play down the attack or lie about the intentions of the rioters. The former president, his handpicked candidates and a large contingent of elected Republicans continue to spread the“big lie,” having convinced a large majority of Republicans that the election was stolen. This conduct is undemocratic, immoral and un-American. In America, we are supposed to lose gracefully and transfer power peacefully.
In state legislatures, Republicans have passed a deluge of laws to limit access to the ballot and empower partisans to take over election administration from nonpartisan election officials. In the Senate, with the exception of Murkowski, every Republican has voted to block debate on minimal voting protections and measures that would prevent future coup attempts.
I will campaign around the country and call out candidates who would undermine our elections. I will use the full force of my office to ensure that the Senate filibuster, recently modified to prevent default on the nation’s debt payments, does not block passage of basic reforms necessary to protect elections.
The greatest threat to American democracy comes from within. A movement that does not accept election results, defends lawlessness, traffics in violence and propagates lies must be defeated at all levels of government. Unless and until we defeat politicians who do not uphold democratic values, we will never return to a system of two pro-democracy parties.
Democracy is on the ballot in 2022. We cannot allow it go down in defeat."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/09/biden-democracy-summit-speech/
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