President Biden's historic speech will be seen as defining a line in history, a moment when the world was once again formally divided between the forces of democracy and those of autocracy, between those who value freedom and those who fear it.
It was resonant because it echoed the past. It was resonant because not far from where the President spoke, the brutality of the enemy we are facing, the stakes in this battle and the courage of those we fight alongside were all being made so clear in Ukraine.
But it was also resonant for Americans because unlike in the past, we know the dividing line about which @POTUS spoke cuts through our country like a knife. The forces of authoritarianism have already attacked our democracy and continue to do so.
Further, the manifestations of this age-defining struggle internationally and at home are identical because they flow from the same sources, are led by the same people, are funded by the same bank accounts, are all part of a unified global struggle against our values and ideals.
The threat of Putin abroad and Trump at home are not similar, they are the same. They speak the same words. They speak to the world via the same platforms. They actively collaborate and whenever possible they aid one another.
For these reasons, the strength, clarity and resolve shown by Biden were in many ways even more resonant than the Kennedy speech in Berlin to which it is already frequently being compared. Because the stakes are global and they are local...
...because the people of Ukraine really are fighting on our behalf against a common enemy. The passion w/ which Biden spoke, the setting he chose, the evocative words he chose were all ideally suited to the moment. And because they were, they will resonate for many years to come.
Make no mistake, this speech and this past month mark a historical turning point. The way we contain Putin, the degree to which we support Ukraine, the resolve we show in defending democracy at home & abroad, will define this era and the future for our children and grandchildren.
Biden's speech was however, also powerful for another reason. He not only defined the geopolitical battle lines for our times and reminded us why the divisions at home are more than mere politics as usual, but he clearly committed his administration and...
...by extension the Western alliance to standing up for the right side in this battle and he made clear that our enemies have chosen to place themselves not just in opposition to us but to actually be on the side of evil. As in past great struggles, against Naziism & communism...
..there are no grey areas in this battle. There is right and wrong. At the same time, Biden committed us not just to fight for the world as it should be but to take up the side of progress against those who seek to turn back the clock and promote ideas that long ago failed.
Of all the moments of Biden's presidency so far & frankly, in all the recent history of US presidents since the end of the Cold War, this is likely to be viewed not only as a high point, but as one we'll long remember for how it helped reset our course in a better direction.
p.s. While the Putin "cannot remain in power" line will get the most attention, don't be distracted by it. It was the overall thrust of the speech and the degree to which Biden and our allies are backing it up that matters the most in a historical sense.
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