President Biden’s controversial political fundraiser on Wednesday included what appeared to be a critique of Giorgia Meloni’s election victory in Italy.
During his speech at the Democratic Governors Association in Washington, D.C., Biden warned that democracy could be at stake ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. As an example, he referenced the recent Italian election where Meloni, a right-wing figure, became the first woman elected prime minister in Italy.
"Well, folks, you know — and I mean this sincerely; you’re going to think this is a little out of whack, what I’m going to talk about — but, you know, democracy is at stake. Literally, there's a — there's a case being made around the world, not just here, because democracy and autocracy," Biden said.
He continued, "And there's an awful lot of folks who believe that democracies can't be sustained in the 21st century because there's — problems are so — so much is changing in science and technology, the environment, a whole range of things, that it’s awful hard to reach a consensus in the short amount of time you have to reach."
President Biden looks out at attendees as he speaks at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
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After mentioning that China's Xi Jinping argues "democracies can't be sustained in the 21st century," he brought up Italy as another example.
"You just saw what's happened in Italy in that election. You're seeing what's happening around the world. And the reason I bother to say that is we can't be sanguine about what's happening here, either. I don't want to exaggerate it, but I don't want to understate it. And it's the reason why I'm so concerned about and so interested in and so committed to seeing that the governors — Democratic governors — are elected," Biden said.
Twitter users attacked Biden for suggesting Italy electing a conservative could be a threat to democracy.
Brothers of Italy's leader Giorgia Meloni speaks to the media at her party's electoral headquarters in Rome on Monday. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
"The only way to protect democracy is by voting the way we tell you to!" columnist Eddie Zipperer tweeted.
Washington Free Beacon contributor Noah Pollak wrote, "Another perfect example of the progressive view of politics: All outcomes that are not victories for the left are inherently illegitimate."
"The Left thinks Democracy = Left Is Victorious. The right-wingers winning elections is anti-Democracy?" Newsbusters executive editor Tim Graham tweeted.
"I starting to see how one might go from LGB to FJB," Florida School Board of Education member Ryan Petty joked.
Boxcar CEO Joe Colangelo tweeted, "The wrong people winning elections means democracy needs to be suspended to protect democratic democracy from the impact democratic elections. Also, democracy."
"Joe Biden spoke at a Democrat Governor's Association event last night and seemed to imply that the Italian people electing Giorgia Meloni as their next prime minister is the end of democracy in Italy," X Strategies senior digital strategist Greg Price remarked.
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President Biden was criticized for attending a political fundraiser while Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida. (Yuri Gripas/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Biden was previously criticized for attending what was ultimately a political fundraiser while Hurricane Ian was making landfall in Florida. In addition, Biden continued to blast the Republican Party at the event, quipping, "This is not your father's Republican Party."
Fox News’ Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.
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