In a combative speech in South Carolina, former President Joe Biden seized on Donald Trump's sinking favorability, highlighting Trump's failures and his own achievements. Biden's speech, a rare public appearance since leaving office, was a direct response to Trump's State of the Union address, which Biden criticized for its length and lack of acknowledgment of violent events. Biden accused Trump of having a 'weird obsession with Barack Obama' and scheming to 'steal the election' by attempting to put up roadblocks to voting in the midterms. He also addressed the surge of immigration agents in Minnesota that resulted in the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and criticized Trump for ignoring these violent events. Biden's speech was a strategic move to highlight Trump's low marks with voters and characterize the Republican's tenure as a step back from what he left behind. Despite criticism of his own handling of immigration, Biden emphasized his own victories in office, including actions to take on Big Pharma and build job growth. Biden's speech in South Carolina, a pivotal state in his 2020 presidential win, was a reminder of his own strength as a political prognosticator and a call to maintain the state's importance in the Democratic primary.
