CNN analyst Scott Jennings was among those ripping the “farce” of President Biden’s farewell address late Wednesday -– as others panned the bitter goodbye remarks as the “worst in presidential history.”
The reactions poured in as the country’s oldest-ever president attempted to take a victory lap despite his administration’s failings leaving him the octogenarian with record-low popularity.
“When I watch this tonight, I remain astonished that he, his family and other people around him thought he could ever run for another term,” Jennings, who worked in the George W. Bush administration, told CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360.”
“There’s no way he could serve another six months, much less another four years,” he continued.
“The fact that they pursued that farce for as long as they did, to me, remains one of the most astonishing things about this term.”
Jennings described Biden’s final days in office as “pretty terrible” — arguing the 46th president will “only be remembered for a few things.”
“Politically it’s mostly for when he was vice president, he and Obama sorta ushering in the Trump era initially,” Jennings said. “And as he is leaving office as president, bringing back Trump and Trumpism.”
He claimed Trumpism was “stronger and more popular than ever” because of Biden’s tumultuous four years in office.
Meanwhile, Fox News host Dana Perino laid into the president for being a hypocrite.
“What in the world was he talking about? For example, when he talks about dark money, does he not remember that just last week he gave the medal of freedom award to George Soros?” Perino said, referring to the billionaire Democratic megadonor.
“To me, it felt like the speechwriters have already left the building and that they asked ChatGPT to write a speech for Joe Biden in which he doesn’t remember that he was president for the last four years.”
Social media was awash with Biden backlash, too.
“Joe Biden discussing democracy, a free press, institutions and the abuse of power in his final farewell speech is rich,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) posted on X.
“What an embarrassing and pathetic end to an embarrassing and pathetic term,” Fox News host Greg Gutfeld griped.
Conservative commentator Clay Travis also chimed in, tweeting: “Joe Biden can’t even read. Every time he speaks it gets worse. Trying to run him in 2024 is the most reckless and indefensible presidential decision in any of our lives.”
“Joe Biden’s going out of office the same way he went in: Petty, partisan, and frankly not telling the truth,” GOP Congressman Darrell Issa added in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Independent Women’s Forum Center for Energy & Conservation director, Gabriella Huffman, ripped the primetime talk as “underwhelming and divisive.”
“I’m relieved his four-year term is coming to an end. Mr Biden failed to bring Americans together and pushed terrible ‘whole of government’ policies that weakened us on many fronts: energy, national security, economics/small business, foreign affairs, and general freedoms,” she said in an X post.
“History won’t look kindly on Biden’s tenure. He’s now the most unpopular US President in history.”
And ex- Democratic adviser Dan Turrentine said he was “stunned.”
“I’m no historian, but, I don’t recall a more dark Presidential farewell address? It’s more a cry to the DNC than accentuating the positive to the country. This is sad,” he wrote on X.
Democrats, however, heaped praise on the lame-duck prez – applauding for his speech and years of service.
“Four years ago, in the middle of a pandemic, we needed a leader with the character to put politics aside and do what was right,” former President Barack Obama posted on X.
Former Obama Special Adviser David Axelrod called the address “one of Biden’s greatest speeches.”
During his address, Biden, 82, invoked his family as First Lady Jill Biden and son Hunter Biden watched from just feet away.
“To me, family is everything,” Biden said during his 17-minute address.
He also warned Americans of the possible dangers the country could face when he leaves office — instead of offering hope and unification in one of his final public remarks as president.
“In my farewell address tonight, I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And that’s a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people and the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked,” Biden said.
The president took a swipe at Elon Musk and the other tech titans apart of the “tech-industrial complex” who had helped him win election in 2020.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America, of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead.”
Biden did wish his successor, Trump, success as the two will be at the Capitol Monday for the peaceful transfer of power.
Despite the sour tone, the president tried to cast himself as magnanimous ahead of his departure from office Monday.
“I wish the incoming administration success,” Biden said, “because I want America to succeed.”
