Biden frets over fraying ‘guardrails,’ sad about failure to sell wins in final TV interview
Share:
President said he fears he ‘almost spent too much time on the policy, not enough time on the politics’. In his final televised interview before he leaves office and closes the book on more than five decades in American politics, President Joe Biden expressed concern about the state of America’s democracy and lamented his failure to sell his administration’s accomplishments in a way that could have helped him retain enough public approval to have won a second term in the White House.
Speaking to MSNBC anchor Lawrence O’Donnell in a pre-taped interview that aired late Thursday, Biden said his decision to use his farewell address to the nation to warn about the rise of a new “oligarchy” fueled by the fortunes of technology barons was driven by “a sense ... of serious concern” over the state of American democracy.
“That sounds corny. But I mean, I really, really am concerned, because you’ve heard me say it 100 times, I really think we’re in an inflection point in history here ... [when] things are going to change drastically [that] occurs every five or six generations. And it usually is generated by technology,” warned Biden. He emphasized what he’s most worried about losing “the guardrails” that keep democracy “on track.”.
“There’s a Supreme Court that’s independent, but accountable. There is a Congress that you speak your mind, but you’re held accountable to basic standards. There’s a presidency that says you have really limited powers. I mean, you’re the top dog, but you can’t dictate everything and ... they seem to just be chipping away at all those elements,” he said.
