Why Biden Can’t Say Anything Bad About Trump – At Least For Now

Did you see the news the day after Donald Trump got the news about the New York grand jury vote to indict him?

If you searched by Google that day, no matter what terms you punched in, you were assured that Joe Biden was mum on the topic.

Here’s a sampling of of reporting on Biden’s response:

• “Biden silent on Donald Trump after N.Y. grand jury’s vote to indict” – NBC

• “Biden’s response to Trump’s indictment? 4 ways to say no comment” – The New York Times

• “‘I have faith in the New York Police Department,’ Biden said” (regarding potential unrest tied to Trumps arrest) – L.A. Times

• “No. I’m not going to talk about the Trump indictment” – The Hill

There was no recap of any of the history of what Biden had previously said about Trump and his constituents over the last four years. He had plenty of comments then. Now we’re supposed to believe Biden is mute.

I decided it would be worth a stroll down memory lane to experience the old Joe Biden. And I thought you’d like to take a stroll with me. These were picked more of less at random.

• “Well, we just have to demonstrate that he will not take power by – if we – if he does run. I’m making sure he, under legitimate efforts of our Constitution, does not become the next president again.”

• “But at any rate, all kidding aside, our – our intention is to run again. That’s been our intention, regardless of what the outcome of this election was. And the fact that we won – we – I didn’t run – the fact that the Democratic Party outperformed anything anyone expected and did better than any off-year presidency since John Kennedy is one that gives everybody, like, ‘Hoo’ – sigh of relief – that the mega Republicans are not taking over the government again, et cetera.” And, yes, he did say “mega Republicans.”

• “Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.”

• “MAGA Republicans do not respect the Constitution. They do not believe in the rule of law. They do not recognize the will of the people.”

• “The Republican Party today is dominated, driven, and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans, and that is a threat to this country.”

• “As I stand here tonight, equality and democracy are under assault. Too much of what’s happening in our country today is not normal. Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic. Democracy cannot survive when one side believes there are only two outcomes to an election: Either they win or they were cheated. History tells us that blind loyalty to a single leader and a willingness to engage in political violence is fatal to democracy.”

• “MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards. They promote authoritarian leaders, and they fan the flames of political violence that are a threat to our personal rights, to the pursuit of justice, to the rule of law.”

• “I don’t consider any Trump supporter a threat to the country. I do think anyone who calls for the use of violence, fails to condemn violence when it’s used, refuses to acknowledge when an election has been won, insists upon changing the way in which we rule and count votes, that is a threat to democracy.”

• “Extreme MAGA Republicans just don’t threaten our personal and economic rights, they embrace political violence. They refuse to accept the will of the people. They threaten our very democracy.”

• “I had a big fight with the former president – and maybe future president. Bless me, Father [as he crossed himself]. The big fight you may remember going on was our good friend, the former president, decided all the inspectors general … he fired them all. ‘I said, “You shouldn’t do that.”‘ Well, guess what? Now we’re finding out there’s billions of [COVID-19 relief] dollars were stolen.”

• “But there’s no question that the Republican Party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans, and that is a threat to this country.”

There’s a lot more if you’ve forgotten that way Biden feels about Trump and vice versa. So, why is Biden on his best behavior for the past couple of days? Hint: It’s because he’s in on the plot to stay in the shadows for once, now that others are carrying the ball.

I thought you would appreciate remembering the bad blood that never is far from the surface. When will he be unleashed again?