President Biden's speech last night was powerful -- and emotional. If you missed it, the entire speech is posted above. Via the Washington Post:
President Biden delivered an impassioned Oval Office speech Thursday urging Americans to stand by Israel and Ukraine as they face ruthless but very different adversaries, asserting that the world is at “an inflection point in history” and making the case for billions in aid to both countries at a time when such assistance is under attack from a variety of quarters.
“Hamas and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: They both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy,” Biden said.
“American leadership is what holds the world together,” he added. “American values are what make us a partner that other nations want to work with. To put all that at risk if we walk away from Ukraine, if we turn our backs on Israel, it’s just not worth it.”
But the really notable part is how he reached out to handle American divides.
“We can’t ignore the humanity of innocent Palestinians who only want to live in peace and have an opportunity,” Biden said. “The people of Gaza urgently need food, water and medicine. … We’re going to provide an opening for sustained delivery of lifesaving humanitarian assistance for Palestinians.”
The president warned against antisemitism and Islamophobia, citing the death of a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy in Chicago this week who was stabbed to death by his landlord in an incident being investigated as a hate crime. In recent days, both Jewish and Muslim groups in the United States have reported an increase in attacks.
“We must, without equivocation, denounce antisemitism,” Biden said. “We must also, without equivocation, denounce Islamophobia.”
