I just watched with great interest President Joe Biden’s speech on Monday at the The LBJ School of Public Affairs commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. I wish I had been back in Austin on the University of Texas campus where I taught for more than 40 years to view the speech in person.
As a scholar of rhetoric who studied the Johnson presidency going back to my days as a doctoral student and who spent considerable time doing research in the LBJ Library, this speech resonated. It reminded me of Johnson’s success and remarkable rhetorical capacity to implement JFK’s legislative agenda, especially in the area of civil rights.
Make no mistake, Biden is a true patriot — someone who, unlike so many, cares more about his country, the welfare of its citizens and the Constitution than political expedience and personal gain. In my opinion, one cannot listen to this speech without realizing the enormous stakes of the 2024 election and its potential long-term impact on democracy, freedom and a respect for revered and sacred constitutional principles.
