Biden warns of 'oligarchy' in final Oval Office address: NPR

President Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation in the Oval Office.

Mandel Enga/AFP via Getty Images

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Mandel Enga/AFP via Getty Images

President Biden delivered his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday, getting a final chance in the Oval Office to lay out his legacy and address the threats posed by unchecked abuse of power and wealth and what he called an emerging oligarchy. Issue a warning.

Speaking from behind the Resolute Desk, Biden sought to sound the alarm about the “dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a tiny handful of the ultra-rich,” which he said threatened to undermine the fundamental fabric of American life.

“Today, an oligarchy of extreme wealth, power and influence is taking shape in America that literally threatens our entire democracy, our fundamental rights and freedoms. And a fair chance for everyone to succeed,” he said.

The speech echoed then-President Dwight Eisenhower's 1961 farewell address to the nation, in which he famously warned of the dangers of the emerging “military-industrial complex.” Today, Biden said the threat he sees comes from the “tech industrial complex.”

Biden said the consequences of this emerging concentration of power can already be felt in multiple ways across the country.

Addressing climate change was one of several examples he pointed to.

“Powerful forces want to use their unchecked influence to undo the steps we take to address the climate crisis in the service of their own power and profit,” Biden said. “We must not sacrifice our future because we are bullied, Sacrifice the future of our children.”

But the president said the dangers were clear in other areas as well. While praising America's achievements in technological advancement, Biden also talked about how the idea of ​​truth has been undermined.

“Americans are being inundated with misinformation and disinformation, leading to abuses of power,” Biden said. “The free press is collapsing and editors are disappearing. Social media is abandoning fact-checking. The truth is being spun for power and profit. Covered by lies.”

Biden called artificial intelligence “the most important technology of our time and perhaps ever” but warned that the technology could be potentially dangerous without adequate safeguards. Without these protections, he said, “artificial intelligence could create new threats to our rights, our way of life, our privacy, the way we work, and the way we protect our country.”

Biden also used his remarks to call for a variety of reforms in the nation's capital. He called for the elimination of “dark money” as a form of campaign contributions, a ban on stock trading by members of Congress and an 18-year term limit for Supreme Court justices.

He did not mention President-elect Donald Trump by name but said the Constitution should be changed “to make clear that no president — no president — is immune from crimes committed while he or she is in office.”

“The Magic of America”

Biden's remarks marked the end of a political career that has spanned more than half a century — a career that has taken him from blue-collar jobs in Scranton, Pa., to the halls of power in the U.S. Senate; Two terms as vice president under Barack Obama to his own improbable victory in 2020.

“America can be defined in one word: 'possibility,'” Biden said. “Only in America do we believe anything is possible, like this picture of a stuttering kid from humble beginnings in Scranton, Pa., and Claremont, Del., sitting in the Oval Office as President of the United States. It’s the same behind the desk. That’s the magic of America.”

Biden's campaign for president insists the nation's soul is at risk. “That's still the case,” Biden said before speaking. A letter to the American public. “History is in your hands. Power is in your hands. The idea of ​​America is in your hands.”

Biden, 82, had hoped to stay in the White House for another four years, but his reelection chances have been hurt by high inflation, frustration with illegal immigration and questions about his age. Last June, weeks after a disastrous debate performance, he announced he was giving up re-election.

He leaves office in deeply unpopular circumstances and is less than a week away from handing over power to Trump – the leader Biden has vowed to be a one-term president. After losing to Biden four years ago, Trump is now returning to the White House promising to undo much of Biden's achievements.

Biden touched on some of those accomplishments in his remarks Wednesday night. He said he was proud of his accomplishments, noting the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, historic investments in infrastructure, lower prescription drug prices and gun safety legislation.

Biden's remarks came hours after announcing a diplomatic breakthrough in the war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza. The conflict has dominated his presidency at times and eroded his support among many Arab Americans. But earlier in the day, Biden delivered a speech at the White House and announced a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending more than 15 months of bloody conflict.

He called the opportunity to serve as commander in chief “the highest honor of my life” and said that after 50 years of public service, he remains confident in the country's future.

“I promise you this: I still believe in what this country stands for, a country where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure,” Biden said.

But as he prepares to leave the White House, he says now is also the time to pass the torch.

“Now it's your turn to stand guard. May you be the keepers of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it too.”