BYE-DEN: President Caps Five Decades In Politics In Final Oval Office Address
President Joe Biden capped five decades in politics in a final address from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening.
In his valedictory address, Biden began by taking credit for the hostage deal signed hours earlier between Israel and Hamas. Over the course of the roughly 18-minute address, Biden touted his record on climate, health care, job creation, and foreign policy. He also took veiled shots at President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and others.
Unmentioned throughout his address were several major flashpoints of his term, such as the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the pardoning of his son, Hunter.
“After 50 years at the center of all of this, I know that believing in the idea of America means respecting the institutions that govern a free society: the presidency, the congress, the courts, a free and independent press,” Biden said.
The president’s address was largely seen to be his last attempt at characterizing his legacy for posterity. The address avoided obvious questions regarding his record, such as Trump’s role in securing the hostage deal, the disintegration of peace in the Middle East and Europe, and the impact artificial shutdowns during the pandemic had on job creation.
Biden also delivered warnings of what he characterized as dangerous trends in the United States: the rise of an American “oligarchy,” climate change, and disinformation.
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In what appeared to be a veiled shot at Trump and his allies, including Elon Musk, Biden warned of a “dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a few ultra wealthy people.” He also appeared to blame North Carolina hurricane damage and California wildfires on the dangers of climate change.
He called for a crackdown on social media for the spread of “misinformation” and “disinformation.”
“I’m equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could impose real dangers for our country, as well. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power,” Biden said.
“Social media is giving up on fact checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms accountable,” he added.
Biden’s threat toward social media platforms comes after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced earlier this month that Facebook was severing ties with third-party fact-checking groups and moving to an X-style system with community notes on Facebook. While announcing the change, Zuckerberg said that restrictions on speech on Facebook had grown too censorious.
Biden also called for other reforms, such as an 18-year term limit on Supreme Court justices and legislation against so-called “dark money” groups. He also called for an amendment to the Constitution to “make clear that no president, no president is immune from crimes he or she commits while in office.”