President Biden’s farewell address to the nation was a revealing metaphor for his presidency, which many view as unsuccessful. It was rife with blatant partisanship, deep-seated vindictiveness, and hypocrisy. Anyone who fails to grasp why he left the presidency with a 36% approval rating should reread the speech to understand his unpopularity.
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Elected as a moderate who promised to “heal the nation” and foster “unity,” Biden has done the opposite. He has reopened wounds, divided the country along racial, class, and political lines, and prioritized ideological purity over pragmatic governance. His administration’s policies often catered to the most vocal extremes within his party, sidelining the concerns of working-class Americans of all races. His divisive rhetoric labeling political opponents as “threats to democracy,” promoting the conspiracy that Donald Trump’s election would be our last, and targeting his political opponents for prosecution and denying Americans the free speech rights to criticize the government contradict his professed objectives as President.
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In his speech, Biden cautioned the nation, claiming “an oligarchy is taking shape in America, of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead.” Yet, just over a week ago, President Biden awarded the Medal of Freedom to his favorite billionaire, George Soros, who was represented at the ceremony by his son Alex, the man who is taking over for his father. This gesture amounted to nothing less than a tribute to the forces driving policies that undermine public safety, national sovereignty, and the rule of law—an ironic embrace of the oligarchy he claims to oppose.
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Perhaps the most startling farewell address comments came from his full-throated defense of censorship.
On the “Joe Rogan” show, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg detailed the enormous pressure the Biden regime put on the company to remove posts that questioned government policy. After spending four years denying that they took such actions, Biden made it clear in his farewell speech that they did so as a matter of policy. He asserted, “Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, which enables the abuse of power. Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and profit. We must hold social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families, and our very democracy from the abuse of power.”
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It is hard to imagine any American president making a statement so fundamentally at odds with the core foundation of American governance — the principle of free speech.
The Biden administration’s quest for control and power extended beyond its assault on free speech. It weaponized regulatory agencies to stifle innovation and target industries it deemed politically inconvenient.
From the Department of Justice’s aggressive crackdown on AI and algorithmic pricing software like RealPage, in which it blamed private companies for Biden’s policies causing housing inflation, to the Federal Trade Commission’s crusade against the technology sector, the Biden administration clearly preferred to wield government power to reshape markets rather than foster competition and economic growth. These actions created a chilling environment for entrepreneurs and businesses, damaging America’s economic dynamism.
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In his farewell speech, Biden’s claims were contradicted by his record. For example, in the speech, he touted “finally giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for millions of seniors.” But he conveniently failed to mention how his administration continually attempted to wrangle this power away from pharmacy benefit managers, the private sector businesses established to keep prescription drug prices at affordable levels—and which 170 million Americans use because they have a proven track record of lowering prescription drug costs. Unfortunately, to this “government knows best” President, their track record doesn’t matter because conceding their success would undercut his efforts to increase government control over the healthcare industry.
Biden’s farewell speech ultimately encapsulated his tenure—a presidency marked by divisive rhetoric, bureaucratic overreach, and misplaced priorities. Instead of uniting the nation, he leaves a legacy of polarization and diminished trust in government institutions. The American people deserved a leader who could heal divisions, and champion the values of freedom and opportunity. Instead, they were left with an administration that too often sought to silence dissent and consolidate power in the hands of the government. As the nation turns the page, one can only hope the next chapter will bring a renewed commitment to the foundational ideals that have made America a beacon of freedom.
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John T. Doolittle is a former Republican member of Congress from California
