Scott Jennings was among many analysts outraged by President Joe Biden’s farewell address Wednesday night, saying he was “astonished” at the “farce” of the oldest-ever president claiming he could’ve won reelection.
The CNN analyst, who worked in the George W. Bush administration, was mystified to see the president take a victory lap about his administration’s accomplishments despite the octogenarian’s record-low popularity.
“When I watch this tonight, I remain astonished that he, his family and other people around him thought he could ever run for another term,” the pundit told the panel on Anderson Cooper 360. “There’s no way he could serve another six months, much less another four years.
“The fact that they pursued that farce for as long as they did, to me, remains one of the most astonishing things about this term,” he added.
Biden initially ran for a second term but dropped out of the race after facing pressure from fellow Democrats over his disastrous debate performance against President-elect Donald Trump in June.
He later endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who was handed a crushing loss from Trump in November.
The 82-year-old invoked his family during the address as First Lady Jill Biden and son Hunter Biden watched from feet away.
“To me, family is everything,” Biden said.
Jennings, 47, described Biden’s final days in office as “pretty terrible” arguing the 46th president will “only be remembered for a few things.”
“Politically it’s mostly for when he was vice president, he and Obama sorta ushering in the Trump era initially,” Jennings said. “And as he is leaving office as president, bringing back Trump and Trumpism.”
Jennings claimed Trumpism was “stronger and more popular than ever” because of Biden’s tumultuous four years in office.
The pundit also called out the Democratic Party for Biden’s failures saying the party should have had no issues of winning the presidential election but there was no “introspection” of Biden leaving office as one of the “most unpopular presidents.”
Biden is leaving office with 61% of Americans calling his time in the Oval Office a failure.
Only 36% of US adults approved of Biden’s presidency – tying his record low – according to a CNN Poll released Wednesday.
Biden warned Americans of the possible dangers the country could face when he leaves office instead of offering hope and unification in one of his final public remarks as president.
“In my farewell address tonight, I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And that’s a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people and the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked,” Biden said during his 17-minute address.
The president took a swipe at Elon Musk and the other tech titans apart of the “tech-industrial complex” who had helped him win election in 2020.
“Today, 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.”
Biden did wish his successor, Trump, success as the two will be at the Capitol Monday for the peaceful transfer of power.
Despite the sour tone, the president tried to cast himself as magnanimous ahead of his departure from office Monday.
“I wish the incoming administration success,” Biden said, “because I want America to succeed.”
Jennings was not alone in blasting Biden for his uneasy speech to conclude his presidency.
Fox News host Dana Perino laid into the president for being a hypocrite.
“What in the world was he talking about? For example, when he talks about dark money, does he not remember that just last week he gave the medal of freedom award to George Soros?” the former White House press secretary said.
“He talked about the fact that they had the biggest economic rebound ever. He never mentioned COVID, which was the entire premise of his presidency.”
“To me, it felt like the speechwriters have already left the building and that they asked ChatGPT to write a speech for Joe Biden in which he doesn’t remember that he was president for the last four years.”
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) called it “rich” for Biden to talk about democracy, a free press, institutions and the abuse of power in his going away address.
Independent Women’s Forum Center for Energy & Conservation director, Gabriella Huffman called the primetime talk “underwhelming.”
Democrats in turn applauded Biden for his speech and years of service.
“Four years ago, in the middle of a pandemic, we needed a leader with the character to put politics aside and do what was right,” former President Barack Obama posted on X.
Former Obama Special Adviser David Axelrod called the address “one of Biden’s greatest speeches.”
With Post wires
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