Reporters and Pundits Rave Biden’s Warsaw Speech a ‘Tear Down This Wall’ Moment – Before WH Walkback
President Joe Biden stunned pundits and politicians on Saturday when, at the end of a fiery speech in Warsaw, he seemed to endorse regime change in Russia, saying Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power.”
His speech caused a huge reaction, particularly among members of the media and public figures in areas of foreign policy and politics. That included a lot of people on social media comparing his commentary to Ronald Reagan’s historic “Tear Down This Wall” speech in Berlin in June of 1987.
“For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power” is Biden’s "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall"
— Paul Massaro (@apmassaro3) March 26, 2022
Pres. Biden may have just given his “tear down this wall” speech. Wow. #Ukraine
— Tara Setmayer 🌻 (@TaraSetmayer) March 26, 2022
Historic moral clarity that recalls Reagan’s “tear down this wall.” I’m proud of America leading from the front once again. And proud of my president. https://t.co/wlrTGPOWZA
— Adam Edelen (@adamhedelen) March 26, 2022
Here's why the GOP is flailing on this; Biden did "Tear Down This Wall" for our era.
And many – not all, but many — in the GOP would much rather have Putin in power than not.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) March 26, 2022
Biden makes a speech akin to those at the Brandenburg Gate by JFK and Reagan. In a square with a crowd. His delivery is quite strong.
— Jennifer 'I stand with Ukraine' Rubin 🇺🇦🇺🇦 (@JRubinBlogger) March 26, 2022
If it isn’t clear which part of the speech the verified users were reacting to, it was spelled out explicitly several times. They were reacting very directly to his saying that Putin cannot remain in power, which was widely discussed as meaning a call for regime change.
Watching #Biden Warsaw speech. Reminds me of JFK’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” (1963) and Reagan’s “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” (1987). Masterful. Now give #Zelenskyy more of everything. #StandWithUkraine
— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) March 26, 2022
Tops Reagan’s 1987 “tear down this wall” speech. https://t.co/OEyfIKrGH1
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) March 26, 2022
Berlin, June 12, 1987: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”
Warsaw, March 26, 2022: "For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power."— Nana Sajaia (@NanaSajaia) March 26, 2022
"For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power" is Biden’s "Tear down this wall" moment. https://t.co/TlHSWSAaCP
— Michel Rose (@MichelReuters) March 26, 2022
In 1963, President Kennedy declared, "Ich bin ein Berliner."
In 1987, President Reagan demanded, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
Hard not to see President Biden's speech as the latest chapter in the fight between autocracy and democracy. https://t.co/IRx7yL6MTL
— Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky (@lmchervinsky) March 26, 2022
However, after the White House walked that back, attempting to clarify that Biden meant Putin shouldn’t have power over neighboring countries, there were doubts about the comparison to Reagan’s speech. Some, like reporter Mark Knoller and pundit Larry Sabato, specifically moderated their own praise in concert with the White House response.
WH now watering down Biden statement. https://t.co/Xogeqz7d7W
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) March 26, 2022
This would have been Biden’s “Tear down this wall!” moment but for White House staffers watering down his meaning afterward. https://t.co/P297nF24X6
— Rodney Faraon (@rfaraon) March 26, 2022
Yes, I think we can all remember where we were when the White House had to walk back “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”
Don’t remember Reagan aides whispering to press, “That’s not what he really meant.” https://t.co/20EtYf0ByY
— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) March 26, 2022
did the White House of Reagan have such messages after Reagan's "tear down this wall" speech? https://t.co/XE5GoJu438
— Karol Darmoros 🇵🇱 (@KarolDarmoros) March 26, 2022
WH official: When Reagan said “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall,” he did not mean to suggest any physical walls be torn down and certainly not in Berlin. He was referring to Pink Floyd’s album The Wall and was calling on Gorby to write a critical review.
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) March 26, 2022
Hard disagree. I think it was Biden letting his temper getting the best of him – like a normal human being – and hardly a "tear down this wall" moment. https://t.co/y7ypr7PUiK
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 26, 2022
Clean up on aisle 6.
— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) March 26, 2022
Even after the White House walkback, CNN’s Jim Acosta, stressing that the line was not in the prepared remarks, characterized the President’s comment as saying Putin “should no longer be Russia’s leader.”
No doubt the discussion will continue as to the meaning, whether comparisons with Reagan’s speech continue or not.
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