EDITORIAL: Biden spews an ugly, divisive vision for America’s future

At their best, presidents cast a vision that unites Americans and inspires them toward the country’s founding principles. At their worst, they cynically divide Americans for personal political gain — just like President Joe Biden on Thursday night.

He made his remarks in front of Independence Hall. Blood-red lights cast a harsh glare on the brick walls behind him. Standing behind him in the shadows were two uniformed Marines. The setting gave the impression the president wanted to prepare the country for a harsh and bitter war of conquest. So did his words.

“Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic,” Mr. Biden said.

In case that wasn’t clear enough, he reiterated. “The Republican Party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans, and that is a threat to this country,” he said. The only good Republicans were those he has “been able to work with.”

In blunter terms, if you don’t agree with him and his destructive policy agenda, you’re a threat to the country. Nor was that a throwaway line. It was the crux of his speech, despite the occasionally rhetorical escape hatch.

“MAGA Republicans do not respect the Constitution,” he said. Further, “They refuse to accept the results of a free election.” Then he claimed, “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, to the very soul of this country.”

In other contexts, those the president deems “a threat to this country” are imprisoned or killing on the battlefield.

Mr. Biden seems to have concluded that the best chance for his party to retain power is to create a false binary: Either you support him or you’re marching in support of the January 6 riots.

But there’s no contradiction in opposing both Mr. Biden’s policies and the indefensible behavior from Mr. Trump and the Capitol mob.

Notably, Mr. Biden offered no introspection on times when his claims apply to him and his political allies. It was just days ago that Mr. Biden unconstitutionally forgave students loans. Democrats spent years falsely claiming that Mr. Trump won his 2016 election by colluding with Russia. As a senator, Vice President Kamala Harris promoted a fund to bail out rioters in 2020.

Vigorous disagreements are common in politics. They didn’t lead other presidents to stand before the nation and label half the country an existential threat to the body politic.

The president’s harsh words bear the marks of political desperation. Mr. Biden can’t run on his unpopular record. Inflation and crime are soaring. The border is in crisis. He surrendered Afghanistan to the Taliban. His alternative is to run against Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trump, however, isn’t on the ballot. Recent news reports have even detailed how some Republican candidates are moving away from Mr. Trump for the general election. At least before the raid on Mar-a-Lago seeking documents Mr. Trump seemingly held onto ill-advisedly, many polls showed Republican primary voters drifting toward Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. He’d be a much stronger 2024 nominee.

If the president really thought Mr. Trump and his followers were a threat to democracy, this would have been music to Mr. Biden’s ears. Instead, Democrats around the country boosted Trump-y Republicans in primaries, believing them easier to defeat come November. Mr. Biden’s speech was a further attempt to make voters think about Mr. Trump.

What he and Democrats fear most isn’t Mr. Trump’s return. It’s losing political power. To ward that off, Mr. Biden is elevating the very man he simultaneously claims threatens the country.

That’s beneath the dignity of his office. The success of America depends on the success of all Americans — left, right and center.

The president should lead the country, not inflame its divisions in a craven attempt to help his political allies retain power.