Biden skirts Trump references in Jan. 6, Paul Pelosi remarks

President Biden skirted directly referencing former President Trump as he noted rising political violence, including a recent attack against Paul Pelosi, saying that democracy “must not be a partisan issue.”

“For the last few years our democracy has been threatened, attacked, and put at risk. Put to the test here, in this very room, on Jan. 6,” Biden said.

Biden went on to tie a direct connection between Trump’s baseless claims of fraud in the 2020 election with the Pelosi attack.

“And then, just a few months ago, unhinged by the Big Lie, an assailant unleashed political violence in the home of the then-Speaker of this House of Representatives. Using the very same language that insurrectionists who stalked these halls chanted on January 6th,” Biden said.

Pelosi, who stood for applause from the crowd as Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) looked on, was invited to the State of the Union as a special guest, making a rare public appearance since he was attacked in his home. He sat next to the rock star Bono, who was also a guest for the speech.

The attacker, David DePape, entered the couple’s California home asking “Where’s Nancy?”  and has pleaded not guilty to charges that include attempted murder.

Biden concluded his remarks on the topic by condemning extremism and stressing the need to protect voting rights 

“We must give hate and extremism in any form no safe harbor,” he said, a comment that got cheers from Democrats but little reaction from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) behind him.

“There is no place for political violence in America. In America, we must protect the right to vote, not suppress that fundamental right. We honor the results of our elections, not subvert the will of the people. We must uphold the rule of the law and restore trust in our institutions of democracy,” Biden said.