In his farewell address from the Oval Office on Wednesday night, President Joe Biden focused on perceived challenges to democracy and society, such as the “oligarchy,” climate change, and technological advancements.
Biden spent a large portion of his address outlining what he believes to be the nation’s greatest concerns, even as he looked back on his fifty years in American politics.
He criticized how false and misleading information circulates on social media and encouraged the nation to make sure AI is reliable and safe.
The president seemed to allude to Meta terminating its fact-checking program when he lambasted social media companies for failing to fact-check.
Additionally, Biden expressed his hope for the success of the upcoming Trump administration.
It goes beyond the final four years of his presidency. Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary for the White House, informed reporters on Wednesday that he was leaving his position.
As you can expect, the president has a lot to say and a lot of ideas to give that truly touch on the current situation, she continued.
Biden highlighted sustained job creation, reduced prescription medication costs, and investments in renewable energy to combat climate change in a letter released on Wednesday that served as a preview of his prime-time speech.
Early in his term, he described the fight to escape the Covid epidemic as “a winter of peril,” stating that Americans united and “braved through it.”
“We emerged stronger, more prosperous, and more secure,” states Biden’s letter.
Biden also emphasized his track record in the economy, especially the steady improvements in the labor market.
More than 16.6 million new jobs have been created since Biden entered office, he claimed in a statement last week praising the last monthly jobs report of his term, making his government “the only administration in history to have created jobs every single month.”
Biden may be able to add a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas to the list of achievements of his administration.
He highlighted a recent cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas at the start of his goodbye speech, pointing out that the incoming Trump administration will be implementing much of it.
The deal, which was revealed Wednesday afternoon, would be a significant step forward in the long-running conflict that has plagued Biden’s administration and drawn criticism from within his own party if it is implemented this weekend as scheduled.
Biden made oblique allusions to President-elect Donald Trump in his letter rather than mentioning him directly.
“I felt that America’s soul was on the line, so I decided to run for president. It was about the essence of who we are. And that remains true,” he stated.
According to Jean-Pierre, Biden wants to be upbeat and discuss our accomplishments. Additionally, she stated that the speech will not be politicized.
In his letter, Biden reminisced on his childhood and his experiences as a public servant, striking a personal note. “Nowhere else on Earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings” hold the office of vice president and then the presidency for fifty years.
“I have dedicated my entire being to our country. And the love and support of the American people has been a millionfold blessing to me in return,” he remarked.
Biden has not yet provided details on his post-presidential plans.
According to three administration insiders, he and the first lady are to head straight to Central California for personal time after the inauguration. According to officials, the pair intends to remain in Santa Barbara County, although their plans may be impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles.
Last Thursday, a reporter questioned Biden about his post-presidential plans: would he be visible and invisible or would he speak out?
Biden answered, “I won’t be out of sight or out of mind.”