President Biden to deliver prime-time speech in Philadelphia on ‘battle’ for democracy

PHILADELPHIA — President Joe Biden will ship a prime-time handle “on the continued battle for the soul of the nation” Thursday exterior Independence Corridor in Philadelphia, the White Home introduced Monday.

Billed as a serious handle simply over two months earlier than the midterm elections, Biden, the White Home stated, will focus on how the nation’s standing on the earth and its democracy are at stake.

“He’ll discuss concerning the progress we’ve got made as a nation to guard our democracy, however how our rights and freedoms are nonetheless underneath assault,” the White Home stated. “And he’ll clarify who’s preventing for these rights, preventing for these freedoms, and preventing for our democracy.”

Biden has more and more sought to painting the November elections as a selection for voters between “ultra-MAGA Republicans” – a reference to former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Nice Once more” marketing campaign slogan – and Democrats. He instructed supporters final week that they’d “to vote to actually save democracy as soon as once more” – and labeled some Republican ideology as “semi-fascism.

“Philadelphia is the birthplace of our democracy. And at a time the place it’s underneath pressure and assault, it is sensible that the top of our nation would come right here to the birthplace of our democracy to present a speech concerning the significance of defending it,” stated Al Schmidt, Committee of Seventy.

Biden was in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on Tuesday to advertise his administration’s crime-prevention efforts and to proceed to stress Congress to revive a long-expired federal ban on assault-style weapons. Democrats and Republicans labored collectively in a uncommon effort to go gun security laws earlier this yr after massacres in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas. They have been the primary vital firearm restrictions accredited by Congress in practically three many years, however Biden has repeatedly stated extra must be performed.

“We beat the NRA. We took them on and beat the NRA straight up. You haven’t any thought how intimidating they’re to elected officers,” an animated Biden stated. “We’re not stopping right here. I am decided to ban assault weapons on this nation! Decided. I did it as soon as earlier than. And I am going to do it once more.”

The Related Press contributed to this report.