Liberals were left reeling from President Biden’s farewell speech on Wednesday night, with one political fanboy barely able to speak and hold back tears.
But in Trump Force One, the disinterested former president merely pulled a face, while a bewildered Biden was shown in the background on the TV.
“The corrupt Joe Biden’s speech at the White House was barely audible and so bad!” wrote Donald Trump on Truth Social.
At CNN, left-wing fanboy Van Jones was overcome with emotion when he waxed poetic about his “hero” Joe Biden.
“That kid with the stutter did well. He did well. That’s a good man,” Jones said, referring to Biden’s childhood struggles with speech.
Liberals are very impressed with the president’s farewell speech, with one political commentator even having to hold back tears
“He fell on his sword. He fell on his sword. Most heroes fight to the bitter end. He fell on his sword,” Jones added, struggling to hold back tears.
Biden’s speech in the Oval Office on Wednesday was his first address since announcing his withdrawal from the election.
The CNN analyst’s reaction was similar to his reaction on Sunday, when Biden first announced he would end his re-election campaign. He struggled to maintain his composure.
“I don’t know anything about politics,” Jones enthused at the time. “All I know is that I love this man, I care about him.”
Rachel Maddow was similarly effusive on MSNBC as she addressed her audience about Biden’s “timeless” speech.
“This is one of those speeches that will go down in history, not just as a great speech by Joe Biden, but as a great moment in the American presidency,” she said.
“The way he started, by talking about honesty, decency and respect.”
The liberal host praised Biden for taking over after the Trump administration, blaming the former president for “the worst pandemic in a century, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the worst assault on our democracy since the Civil War.”
“An elegant speech at an emotional and very moving moment for this president and I think also of timeless importance for the presidency,” Maddow said.
“This is an example of what patriotism and selfless service look like.”
CNN’s Van Jones became emotional when talking about his “hero” Joe Biden, who he said “fell on his sword” by stepping aside
But presidential candidate Donald Trump was less impressed with the performance, which he watched live from his private jet
He took to Truth Social to criticize the “barely comprehensible” speech — Biden’s first major speech since announcing his decision to withdraw from the election
“His personal ambition, his belief that his record warrants a second term and that he wants one, and you hear that in his ambition, even when he talks about what he plans to do in the next six months, that it cannot in itself be greater than the needs of the country,” Maddow said.
“I’m sure this wasn’t easy for him, but it’s beautifully done.”
David Axelrod, former political adviser to President Obama, compared the speech to a letter from America’s first president, George Washington.
‘I was reminded… of this poignant, admirable line from President George Washington’s farewell message: “Every day the accumulating weight of years forces upon me that the shadow of retirement is to me as necessary as it is welcome.”‘
But many, including Donald Trump, were considerably less enamored with the performance. The GOP candidate criticized Biden’s address to the nation as “barely comprehensible.”
The Republican candidate posted the comment on his Truth Social app while watching from his private jet, Trump Force One.
Trump was clearly not impressed, as he followed up his first post with another post also attacking the vice president.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow called Biden’s performance “timeless” and “a great moment in the American presidency”
“The corrupt Joe Biden and the lying Kamala Harris are an embarrassment to America – there has never been a time like this!” Trump wrote.
From right: Jill Biden, Ashley Biden and her husband Howard Krein, and Hunter Biden and his daughter Finnegan listen to Joe Biden speak
Shortly after attending a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, he listened to a livestream of the speech.
The event was Trump’s first major speech since Biden withdrew and the announcement of Harris as the Democratic heir apparent.
He took the opportunity to shift his focus from attacking Biden to taking on Vice President Harris.
In his first meeting since Harris became his likely general election opponent, he discussed the border crisis and the US-Israel relationship.
But at the top of Trump’s list of attacks was Harris’ record on abortion, even though the issue is seen by female voters in swing states as something that could be his undoing.
“She wants to do abortions in the eighth and ninth months, she’s fine with that,” Trump said of Harris, whom he called a “crazy” amid cheers from a crowd of 10,000 people gathered at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte.
But in his address to the nation, a reeling Biden, 81, explained that he had chosen to “pass the torch” to Harris because it was time for “younger voices” and he believed this would “unite” the country and “save” democracy.
Biden stared intently into the camera during his primetime speech, sitting behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.
Trump voted down the vote after attending a political rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he criticized presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris
He said, “I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, and my vision for America’s future all warrant a second term.
“But nothing, absolutely nothing, can stand in the way of saving our democracy. And that includes personal ambition. That’s why I decided that the best way to move forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.”
He added: ‘There is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life. There is also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices. Yes, younger voices.’
Biden did not respond to questions about his own age, health and mental acuity, issues that have plagued his presidency from the beginning.
Doubts about his fitness for the job grew after a disastrous debate last month, prompting shock calls for him to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.