Former President Joe Biden said during an interview published Tuesday that the Constitution was being “trampled on,” without expressly naming his successor, Donald Trump.
“I’m not sure we’re as divided as we are portrayed,” he told NBC’s Jenna Bush Hager. “I’m sure there’s anywhere from 15-30% of the people who are on the one end here, but I think the vast majority of people are coming around to conclude that, you know, those things they don’t even think about it directly, but the safeguards in the Constitution … I think people are beginning to realize they are sort of being trampled on right now.”
The NBC segment contained an edit between Biden’s remarks about the safeguards in the Constitution and that they were being “trampled on,” but it appeared to be a continuous thought. Hager spoke to all the living former presidents — Biden, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and her father, George W. Bush, about America’s 250th anniversary.
“So, I’m hopeful that people are going to begin to say, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. We got to slow this thing up,’” Biden said. “We’re coming to the 250th anniversary of the country, and, for me, I think it reminds people that democracy is dependent on certain basic rules.”
Obama told Hager the country was going through “uncertain times,” but he still remained hopeful.
“When you look at the sweep of American history, we’ve gone through rough patches. And we tend to come out on the other side of them stronger,” he said.
Clinton also shared a message about democracy.
“The country will survive as much by the process, by the freedom to speak, by the freedom to vote, by the freedom to be active in politics as by any particular issue,” Clinton said. “And because it’s like it is, compromise is essential.”
$20M ‘ONE SMALL STEP’ CAMPAIGN AIMS TO REBUILD AMERICAN PRIDE AHEAD OF 250TH ANNIVERSARY
Bush said people should consider themselves fortunate to be “part of a great nation.”
He added, “Study our history so you have a better sense for what the future will be like. And be a citizen, not a spectator. And by that, I mean participate in the process but also love a neighbor like you’d like to be loved yourself.”
America is celebrating its 250th anniversary July 4.
Organizers for the America 250 celebration touted a slew of plans to commemorate the country’s historic anniversary on July 4, detailing the programs in the works and hinting that more information would become publicly available in the coming weeks.
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Rosie Rios, former U.S. treasurer and chairwoman of America 250, said the festivities would begin July 3 and extend into July 4.
“We are doing the first-ever ball drop in the history of Times Square outside of New Year’s Eve. This will happen on July 3,” Rios said in March.
In addition, Rios said organizers would compile “America’s soundtrack,” a combination of the country’s most iconic music put together by Emilio Estefan, a 19-time Grammy Award winner.
It will include a time capsule that will be opened in another 250 years. And it would attempt to foster a sense of generosity around July 4 that would extend to future years.
Fox News’ Leo Briceno contributed to this report.
