President Biden made a primetime speech from what is referred to as the birthplace of America, Independence Hall. It’s the building where America’s Founding Fathers debated and signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The President’s speech was almost entirely focused on what he said is a threat to the democracy created there — Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.

“MAGA Republicans do not respect the constitution, they do not believe in the rule of law, they do not recognize the will of the people. They refuse to respect the results of a free election,” President Biden said.

President Biden said it was his duty to deliver this message. He said MAGA Republicans failed to stop the peaceful transfer of power in 2020, but they will try again in the 2022 and 2024 elections, and it’s up to Americans of all political parties to stop “the assault on our democracy”.

“This time they’re determined to succeed in thwarting the will of the people,” Biden said. “We need everyone to do their part. So speak up, speak out, get engaged. Vote, vote, vote.”

However, the President made clear he can and does work with mainstream Republicans. He also went over a list of his accomplishments including the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act.

“I’ve been able to work with these mainstream Republicans,” he said. “But there’s no question that the Republican party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans, and that is a threat to this country.”

But House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who made a prebuttal speech from President Biden’s hometown of Scranton, PA, had a very different view.

“What Joe Biden doesn’t understand is that the soul of America is in the tens of millions of hard working people, of loving families, of law abiding citizens, whom he vilified for simply wanting a stronger, safer and more prosperous country,” Rep. McCarthy said.

Knowing what the President would say, McCarthy called on Biden to apologize.

“For slandering tens of millions of Americans as fascists,” McCarthy said.