On Monday, Donald Trump made good on projections that he would suggest “ideological tests” for hopeful immigrants. He did so in a rather somber speech that was positively un-Trumplike in its muted nature. The appearance was not only teleprompted but also later posted on his campaign site with full footnotes. Rudy Giuliani picked up some of the slack in the controversy department, but Trump will likely be back to his old self in a few days.
In a more energetic display, Vice President Joe Biden made his first appearance on the campaign trail with Hillary Clinton. Biden did so in his birthplace of Scranton, Pa., which is also where Clinton’s father hails from. The speech took on Trump on several notes. Most of these we’ve heard already (in various incantations) from other critics. This includes catchphrases like “He’s showered praise on Saddam Hussein. He would have loved Stalin.” Biden also questioned Trump’s foreign policy expertise and addressed him as a danger to the world when it comes to fingers on the red button. The current veep believes Trump is “totally, thoroughly unqualified” for the presidency.
Biden did talk up Clinton for part of his speech, mainly to address how much her victory would impact future generations of women. But in the end, this speech was geared towards taking out the opponent. Biden even — with a self-aware nod — whipped out his “malarkey” term again while addressing Trump and the middle class. While discussing what Biden views as unbridled cynicism, he characterizes the Republican nominee as displaying “a lack of empathy.” He drew upon Trump’s tendency towards divisive rhetoric and his habit (at least on TV) of firing people. Biden told the rally audience, “He’s trying to tell us he cares about the middle-class. Give me a break. To repeat myself, what a bunch of malarkey. It makes no sense.”
No matter how one feels about Biden’s own politics or opinion on Trump, hearing him say “malarkey” again (at 1:50) is quite an experience.
Joe Biden: Trump’s claim that he cares about the middle class is “a bunch of malarkey” https://t.co/arFD153GuQ https://t.co/FRn9NLtLML
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 15, 2016
You can check out Biden’s full speech below.