Former President Joe Biden returned to the campaign trail Saturday night, launching a spirited attack on former President Donald Trump while speaking at the Maryland Democratic Party's Fight Back & Win Summit. The event in Hanover was punctuated by intermittent heckling from the audience, forcing Biden to pause his remarks on several occasions.
During his address, Biden accused Trump of damaging America's standing internationally, citing the weakening of NATO alliances. He also criticized what he described as Trump's self-enrichment and promotion of personal vanity projects during his presidency. Biden specifically mentioned Trump's alleged plans for a White House ballroom, putting his name on the Kennedy Center, building an arch in his own honor, and hiring his own pool contractor for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
"Have you noticed that Americans are saying the economy under the Biden administration is a hell of a lot better than under Trump?" Biden asked the crowd, drawing applause. He defended his own administration's record, contrasting it with Trump's tenure.
Despite the disruptions, Biden urged Democrats not to become discouraged by recent political setbacks. Recalling advice from his late father, he implored supporters to "Get up, dammit. Get up now. Continue this fight!" He called for a return to a country that is "fair, equal, honest, decent. A country where we give hate no safe harbor."
The speech marked one of Biden's most prominent public addresses in recent weeks. He occasionally squinted at the teleprompter and coughed during the remarks, which were delivered in a subdued tone at times. The former president made no mention of internal Democratic Party debates or recent primary results.
