Joe Biden will speak at a DNC fundraiser in Washington, D.C. Wednesday evening on the “threat of election deniers” and political violence, according an announcement by the Democrats and comments by White House officials. The theme is a reprise of the ‘Dark Brandon’ speech Biden gave in Philadelphia in September. The 7 p.m. EDT speech is scheduled for a Democrat fundraiser being held at the Columbus Club in Union Station–a formerly vibrant retail and transportation hub on Capitol Hill that has become overrun by crime and homeless camps in recent years.
The location of the speech was chosen to remind voters of the January 6 riot, Biden advisor Anita Dunn told Axios Wednesday morning.
The speech is a surprise addition to Biden’s schedule, hinting at desperation to try to turn back the likely red wave of Republican victories on next weeks midterm elections.
“The president will address the threat of election deniers and those who seek to undermine faith in voting and democracy; and the stakes for our democracy in next week’s election,”
The White House updated Biden’s schedule Wednesday morning:
Senior White House advisors previewed the speech at an Axios forum Wednesday morning.
The big picture: White House Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President Anita Dunn said that the setting of Capitol Hill is important.
“Because on January 6th we saw violence geared towards subverting democratic processes there.”“It is an appropriate place to make these remarks tonight,” she said.“The threat of political violence … it’s something that unites almost all Americans and something we can all be united against,” Dunn said.
Observers noted Union Station has fallen on hard times:
Andrew Quinn, Chief Speechwriter & Strategic Communications Director for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said it appears the homeless were cleared out for Biden’s speech, “It appears that either D.C. or local authorities finally cleared out the homeless tent city in front of Union Station… in time for President Biden to give a speech there tonight”
Free Beacon executive editor Brent Scher photographed the suddenly cleared Union Station:
Mark Bednar, Strategic Communications and Digital Advisor to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), “Live look at DC’s Union Station, where Biden will make his closing arguments tonight on Democrats’ accomplishments.”