Joe Biden urges citizens to vote in speech following Paul Pelosi’s attack

President Biden: “You know, American democracy is under attack because the defeated former president of the United States refuses to accept the results of the 2020 election. He’s abused his power and put the loyalty to himself before loyalty to the Constitution.”

President Biden gave a speech from Washington’s Union Station Wednesday night addressing his thoughts on the current state of American democracy.

Biden’s comments were mainly in reference to the recent attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. According to court documents, the intended target of the attack was Speaker Pelosi.

President Biden attributed former President Trump’s denial of the 2020 election results in creating a more hostile political environment for all parties involved. A study from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace found that 25% of Republicans and 17% of Democrats felt threats against the other party’s leaders were justifiable, and 19% of Republicans and 10% of Democrats believed it was justified to harass ordinary members of the other party.

President Biden: “So today, I appeal to all Americans, regardless of party, to meet this moment of national and generational importance. We must vote knowing what’s at stake and not just the policy of the moment, but institutions that have held us together as we’ve sought a more perfect union are also at stake. We must vote knowing who we have been, what we’re at risk of becoming.”

The president ended his speech by denouncing violence to settle political differences, and rather fighting with your voice...and your vote.