In a recent interview, President Joe Biden didn’t shy away from labeling former President Donald Trump as a “loser.” This direct jab at Trump appears to be a deliberate move to provoke a reaction from his predecessor.
Biden has been increasingly critical of Trump in recent months, with one particular attack hitting a nerve – being reminded of Biden’s victory in the 2020 election by being called a loser. In a profile by Evan Osnos for The New Yorker magazine, Biden’s first on-camera campaign speech was highlighted, revealing the attacks he had meticulously prepared during off-camera fundraisers:
When Biden took the stage, the audience chanted, “Four more years!” However, his speech deviated from the typical campaign rhetoric. Instead of ingratiating himself or acknowledging local politicians, Biden delved into the serious topic. Referring to the sacrifices made at Valley Forge, he emphasized that America had vowed never to bow down to a king.
He posed a crucial question – whether democracy still held its sacred place in America. Biden then recounted the horrors of January 6th, evoking images of the wooden gallows and the infamous chant of “Where’s Nancy?” He mentioned Trump over forty times throughout his speech, emphasizing the sixty court cases Trump had lost. Biden confidently declared, “I won the election, and he was a loser,” prompting the crowd to erupt in chuckling applause.
During his conversation with Osnos in the Oval Office, Biden reiterated his use of the term “loser” in a chilling context, focusing on the future rather than the past. One unsettling certainty emerged from a CBS poll conducted in January – half of the respondents believed that the losing side in the upcoming election would resort to violence. Biden acknowledged this unsettling reality but remained convinced that Americans would reject Trump’s brand of politics. He questioned how a democratic society could elect a President who condones violence and expressed his disappointment with the media’s failure to acknowledge the extent of Trump’s threat fully. Biden lamented, “It’s like you’ve all become numbed by it.”
However, Biden also acknowledged the possibility of an ugly race ahead. When asked if he believed Trump would concede if he lost in 2024, Biden responded with a resounding “no.” He predicted that “losers who are losers are never graceful” and expressed his belief that Trump would stop at nothing to reclaim victory. Regardless of the election’s outcome, Biden anticipated that Trump would contest it.
President Joe Biden’s unapologetic labeling of Donald Trump as a “loser” demonstrates his unwavering confidence in his victory while acknowledging the challenges they may face in the future. With a focus on upholding democracy and urging Americans to reject violence, Biden remains steadfast in his determination to lead the nation forward.
