White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain: Biden wanted to 'issue one final warning' with speech on democracy

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White House chief of staff Ron Klain calls Biden's democracy speech 'one final warning'

White House chief of staff Ron Klain describes President Biden's controversial speech this week as 'one final warning' to the American people.

White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain told the hosts of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Thursday that President Biden wanted to "issue one final warning" with his speech on democracy. 

Co-host Willie Geist asked Klain about the decision to have Biden make the speech just days before the midterm elections. 

"The president’s been talking about the threat to our democracy since he launched his campaign way back in 2019 and again on January 6th and again in September in Philadelphia, at Independence Hall. And I think the president decided a few days ago that it was important to issue one final warning on this issue, to make very clear, to leave no doubt that we have people out there still peddling the big lie, people now raising the issue of election denial in this election, and of course the horrible incident involving Speaker Pelosi and her family, you know, showing the rising threat of political violence," Klain said. 

Co-host Joe Scarborough asked if Biden had reached out to Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., or House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to suggest getting together to have a "united front" against political violence. 

White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain joined the hosts of "Morning Joe" on Thursday.  (Screenshot/MSNBC/MorningJoe)

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"He hasn’t spoken to them recently. I think the president’s remarks last night, they were very strong, and bipartisan, made it clear that the majority of Republicans, like the overwhelming majority of Democrats, oppose political violence but targeting and talking about the MAGA Republican officials who are stirring this, the people who were out there, you know, repeating these Qanon violent memes and stuff like that. That’s what he was talking about last night," Klain said. 

Politico's Jonathan Lemire asked Klain about the economy and about a "possible" recession and what the White House is doing to prepare Americans. 

"We are not in a recession. I want to be really, really clear on that," Klain said. 

He added that the economy is strong and "creating jobs" and said that the White House was focused on tackling inflation and lowering prices for Americans. 

President Joe Biden speaks on COVID-19 during an event in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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During his speech last night at Union Station in Washington, D.C., Biden said "MAGA" Republicans were a threat to democracy.

"We're facing a defining moment," the president said. "We must with one overwhelming, unified voice speak, as a country and say there's no place for voter intimidation or political violence in America." 

U.S. President Joe Biden greets people on South Lawn after arriving on Marine One from a trip to Delaware at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 24, 2022. (REUTERS/Leah Millis)

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"This violence against Democrats, Republicans, and nonpartisan officials just doing their jobs are the consequence of lies told for power and profit," he continued. "Lies repeated over and over to generate a cycle of anger, hate, vitriol, and even violence. "