Biden to deliver final speech to U.N. General Assembly as president
CBSSep 22
Biden Gives Last Address to UN General Assembly
Above: US President Joe Biden addresses world leaders during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the United Nations headquarters on Sept. 24, 2024 in New York City. Image copyright: Spencer Platt/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
US Pres. Joe Biden on Tuesday used his final address to the UN General Assembly to express his hope that the US continues to engage with the rest of the world while a resolution is sought for the war in the Gaza Strip, the civil war in Sudan, and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Biden said the US and its allies must "make sure that the forces holding us together are stronger than the forces pulling us apart."
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Biden's speech highlighted the things he does best, especially coalition building. Although many say more can be done to aid Ukraine, Biden helped pull NATO together to stave off Russian advances. In Gaza, Biden's administration is working around the clock in an attempt to get a ceasefire despite the two sides' tentativeness. In addition to his speech, Biden held several meetings about how countries can come together to tackle the challenges of the world.
Establishment-critical narrative
Biden can crow about his foreign policy experience and his so-called successes. But there are three wars waging across the globe, and his speech offered no path for a way forward toward ending the bloodshed. Biden's speech was all "feelings and vibes" and resulted in criticism from several other world leaders who are looking toward the US for leadership.
Conservative narrative
Biden's failed policies have done nothing but set the world aflame, and even as he bragged about his so-called accomplishments, he seemed to acknowledge his failures. But nothing he said mattered because he was urging an inept UN — which has abandoned its peace-keeping duties in the Middle East and lets the leader of Iran travel to New York unimpeded — to help out when it obviously has no intention of curtailing terrorism or draining anti-American autocrats of their power.