Both President Trump and Democratic candidate for President, Joe Biden, separately addressed the national protests and riots that have been taking place across the country. This is welcome news that the President finally spoke out as he was fairly silent (not including Twitter) on the issue until now. The president did acknowledge the protesters and assured them that he hears their "righteous cries" and will fight to keep them safe. Additionally, he did condemn the angry mobs that have popped up and taken away from the peaceful protest's message and actually hurt individuals who are in poorer communities more than anyone else.
Hear his full speech, here:
Also, Democratic candidate for President, Joe Biden, also addressed the nation in the wake of George Floyd's death. Biden called out President Trump for his photo op across the street from the White House at St. John's Episcopal Church in downtown Washington, D.C. saying: "When peaceful protesters are dispersed by the order of the President from the doorstep of the people's house, the White House — using tear gas and flash grenades — in order to stage a photo op at a noble church, we can be forgiven for believing that the president is more interested in power than in principle." Furthermore though, Biden did hit on how this country is dealing with racial injustice and he will not "fan the flames of hate". He delivered a speech on how we need to come together and solve the racial issues going on right now.
This is Joe Biden's full speech:
While President Trump's speech in the Rose Garden was met with welcome, the photo op at St. John's Episcopal Church across the street, was not. The photo op was accomplished by having armored police come to the church and it's surrounding area an hour prior to the President's arrival and clear out the location. According to Religion News, the park across the street from the church, Lafayette Square Park, was filled with hundreds of peaceful protesters when the police used teargas to disperse them. Additionally, the police expelled at least one Episcopal priest and a seminarian from the church’s patio. More info on the incident that happened at St. John's Episcopal Church, HERE.
As mentioned above, Joe Biden criticized the way this photo op was conducted. Do you agree with him? Do you think the photo op was necessary? I do not think it was necessary and I agree with VB, that there were some missed opportunities at the church. 1) For starters there was no need to clear out the clergy, if anything Trump should have meet them there and had them lead in prayer. 2) President Trump brought his Bible holding it in his hand, he should have opened it up and read a scripture from it, then Biden would not have been able to deliver a blow to Trump saying he "wished he opened it once in a while, instead of brandishing it, if he opened it, he could have learned something".
Overall both men did deliver effective speeches; different but effective. One touched on the need for law and order and the other touched on the racial divide. Whose speech do you think was better? Vote in VB's poll, HERE.
-Producer Lightning