Senate Democrat defends Biden speech, says ‘democracy is at risk’

Sen. Patty Murray contended Sunday that “democracy is at risk” in defense of President Biden’s primetime address last week accusing his predecessor and his supporters of being a threat to America.

The Washington Democrat pointed to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol as evidence, where she said rioters who backed former President Donald Trump tried to subvert the election with “brute force.”

“I believe that our democracy is at risk today,” Ms. Murray told CNN’s “State of the Union.” “I was in the nation’s Capitol on January 6. I wasn’t able to escape. I was barricaded in an office. And I heard the pounding at the door, and I heard those who were outside of it willing to use brute force incited by President Trump to take over our country, to take over our democracy, to stop the transaction to a new presidency in a peaceful way, which is what a democracy is.”

Ms. Murray is running for re-election against GOP challenger Tiffany Smiley in a race that has become increasingly close as the midterm elections draw near.

Speaking from Independence Hall in Philadelphia on Thursday, Mr. Biden levied that “Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.”

His speech drew fierce condemnation from Republicans, who charged the president with sowing the very division that he vowed to bring to an end.

The address has placed Democrats on defense, with some arguing that Mr. Biden’s rhetoric was warranted because of Mr. Trump’s attempts to overturn the election and his false claims about the race.

“We have to get back to a point where we all say that brute force and incitement of that brute force, and the questions that the president and his followers continue to put out there about whether or not that election was legitimate incites that,” Ms. Murray said. “And we still have people today saying there will be violence on the streets. That is not what a democracy is. And we all have to point that out and work to make sure we move towards a democracy and keep that democracy.”