The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) happens every year around this time, which happens to coincide with the State of the Union Address
A Tale of Two Speeches: Biden’s SOTU Speech vs. Trump’s CPAC Speech – A Comparison
by Mike C Goodwin | Staff Writer | Eternal Affairs Media
Over the past week, a rare opportunity was given to those with a penchant for self-flagellation. Not since the presidential campaign of 2020 (yes, it has only been barely two years,) were we given the opportunity to witness two very different sides of an increasingly divided coin. Then something very odd happened, the coin landed on its side.
Allow me to explain.
The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) happens every year around this time, which happens to coincide with the State of the Union Address. It just so happens, that a former president (or more accurately the real president) happened to be on hand to address the conference (and the nation.) So it was, that on Saturday night, this president spoke to the crowd (as well as a nation of voters he hopes may be experiencing buyer’s remorse.)
Trump began his speech as he normally does, acknowledging key supporters in the audience with a few comedic lines (his physical appearance as well as his fitness compared to other presidents.) The joviality ended relatively quickly as he launched salvos at the current administration.
Trump’s main contention about the current situation in Ukraine was that a controversial Russian pipeline was halted under his administration only to be resumed by Biden. While the ultimate decision is technically under German authority, Trump can in fact claim credit for slowing the pipeline, though not for stopping it. Biden did waive sanctions against those involved in the pipeline, so claims that he approved the pipeline are not entirely without merit, though again, the ultimate decision was Germany’s.
Trump also pointed to the current prices of gasoline as well as any goods or services affected by those prices (so basically everything you don’t grow yourself.) While the legitimate president did engage in hyperbole (we didn’t have record low prices, but they were a damn sight lower than they are now.) Trump also called for the US to resume energy production on a mass scale, saying the US is now at the whims of foreign governments. Trump specifically pointed to Europe’s reliance on Russian gas and oil.
The withdrawal from Afghanistan was also covered, specifically the disastrous way in which US forces were recalled and the resulting attack that cost 13 American lives and left hundreds if not thousands of civilians and allies behind. While the claim of $85 billion is wildly mischaracterized, the point was made ($82.9 billion is the total cost of the Afghanistan Security Forces since 2001, most of that being salaries, training, and infrastructure, not solely equipment.)
Trump highlighted the current border situation as well as the apparent lack of any coherent strategy or goal in containing illegal immigration.
Perhaps the most damning indictment of the current administration was the alleged corruption on behalf of Biden’s son Hunter as well as himself. Citing a video that circulated online where then Vice President Joe Biden brags about withholding foreign aid to get a prosecutor removed from Ukraine, Trump alleged Biden did so to end an investigation. Hunter Biden’s antics would be largely ignored by the media until well after the election (polls suggest if voters had known about the “improprieties” the election would have gone differently.) Trump also mentioned bribery payments from the wife of Moscow’s mayor (Elena Baturina.) The mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, was removed as mayor in 2010, before the payment allegedly took place (doesn’t make it less creepy, just correcting the record.)
Trump asserted that evidence would be forthcoming soon that would vindicate his claims of a rigged, if not flat out stolen, 2020 election. The point was clear, this was not a normal CPAC address, this was a campaign speech (I cleverly pieced this together by the fact that he referenced himself as president several times and stated goals as “we will accomplish X.”) The message was clear and energetically delivered with exaggerations expected from Trump. He has not forgiven nor forgotten those who stole the election. A crime he intends to rectify.
Tuesday evening on the other hand, while the world pondered nuclear warheads in their near future, the State of the Union was delivered by Biden. Some of those watching were probably rooting for those nukes.
The address to congress began in the usual manner, a lot of gladhanding and awkward moments. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh shook hands with people who one year ago were calling him a serial rapist while congressmen accused of being on the side of Jim Crow reborn were smiling with their accusers. Such theatrics would continue well into the evening, along with slurred speech, betrayal of allies, promises of bribes as well as threats to an enemy (like Shakespeare, but performed by a drunk guy.)
Biden began by declaring unity again in spite of COVID-19 (very intriguing timing of the mask requirements being lifted. Purely coincidental, I’m certain.) The fake president then went on to declare us all united with an “unwavering resolve that freedom will always triumph over tyranny.” If you’re a fan of combative, identity politics, worry not it makes a (not at all surprising,) appearance in before too long.
Biden then began in earnest by confronting the very obvious dilemma confronting the world at the moment (Ukraine wants Ukraine to be a nation, Russia? Not so much.)
In a moment of bipartisan ovation (despite accusations from the past five years, apparently the Republican Party is not, in fact, former KGB moles,) Biden declared that President Putin had met a “wall of resistance he never imagined.” The unstoppable wall of resistance from NATO revolves around financial sanctions, arming the Ukraine resistance, and buying $700 million of oil from Russia every day (yup. I wouldn’t have imagined that either.)
