“For all intents and purposes, today’s decision almost certainly means that there are virtually no limits on what the president can do,” Biden said, adding that he was committed “to respecting the limits of presidential powers.”
The president also noted that the decision meant it was “highly unlikely” that Trump would be prosecuted before the November election, which he called “a terrible disservice to the people of this nation.”
“So now the American people must do what the courts should have been prepared to do, but will not,” Biden said. “The American people must decide whether Donald Trump’s attack on our democracy on January 6th renders him unfit to hold the highest public office in the land.”
As he faces renewed scrutiny after a poor debate performance that led Democrats to question his staying power, Biden has continued to focus on Trump and sought to crystallize the choice before the electorate.
“The American people must decide whether Trump’s use of violence to preserve his power is acceptable,” he said. “And perhaps most importantly, the American people must decide whether they want to return Donald Trump to office, knowing that he will be more emboldened to do what he wants, when he wants.”
The comments are a rare criticism of the judiciary for Biden, who has sought to distinguish his presidency by trying to restore faith in American institutions. But Biden — who as a senator long chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee that oversees Supreme Court nomination hearings — has also found himself at odds with some of his recent decisions, including the Supreme Court’s decision not to nominate any justices to the Supreme Court. Dobbs decision which repealed Roe v. Wade and declared that there is no constitutional right to abortion.
“Today’s decision continues the Court’s assault over the past several years on a broad range of long-standing legal principles in our country, from the suppression of voting rights and civil rights to the suppression of women’s right to choose,” Biden said in his White House address.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) accused Biden of inappropriately attacking the justice system. “What we’re seeing tonight is despicable and dangerous,” Johnson told Fox News. “The president has tried to undermine our justice system.”
At the beginning of his remarks, Biden discussed the potentially far-reaching consequences this decision could have on the conduct of future presidents.
“The presidency is the most powerful office in the world,” he said. “It is an office that not only tests your judgment, but perhaps more importantly, it is an office that can test your character. For you are faced not only with moments when you must have the courage to exercise the full power of the presidency, but also with moments when you must have the wisdom to respect the limits of the power of the presidency.”
Toward the end of his speech, Biden sought to place the decision in historical context, dating back to the nation’s founding.
“In our nation’s early days, it was the character of George Washington, our first president, that defined the presidency. He believed that power was limited, not absolute, and that power always belonged to the people — always,” Biden said. “Today, more than 200 years later, the Supreme Court’s decision means that once again, it will depend on the character of the men and women who occupy the presidency … because the law will no longer do that.”
He concluded his speech by saying: “May God bless you all. And may God help preserve our democracy.” Then he added: “May God protect our troops.”
He then left the room, ignoring questions about the status of his campaign.
News Source : www.washingtonpost.com
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