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President Biden will deliver a prime-time address in Philadelphia Thursday on the fight for democracy in America and “the continued battle for the soul of the nation,” a White House official said Monday. https://t.co/d4mFjpwM80

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 30, 2022

… Speaking at Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park, the president is expected to highlight his administration’s achievements and argue that the country’s democratic values will be at stake during the midterm elections.

“He will talk about the progress we have made as a nation to protect our democracy, but how our rights and freedoms are still under attack,” the official said. “He will make clear who is fighting for those rights, fighting for those freedoms, and fighting for our democracy.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the content of the speech…

Thursday’s speech is not billed as a political event, and given its character as a prime-time presidential address, Biden may avoid some of his sharper denunciations.

The need to restore America’s basic values, including democracy and the rule of law, has been a theme of Biden’s presidency from the beginning. He has cited it as the reason he decided to run in 2020, describing his horror at the march of white supremacists in Charlottesville in 2017, and President Donald Trump’s comment afterward that there were “very fine people on both sides.”

Biden at times has suggested a central way to combat anti-democratic forces is to show that democracy and governing can work. That prompted some Democrats to complain that he was shying away from forcefully denouncing Trump and other Republicans who falsely claimed the last election was rigged and who may be laying the groundwork to challenge future legitimate elections.

But now Biden appears to be seeking to meld the two messages — saying “MAGA Republicans” are trying to destroy democracy, and Democrats and traditional Republicans are getting things done…

The sensible angle is that the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. I do speculate that this may be a rare national election where a strong ground game really matters. Regardless, I think cautious optimism is warranted. Things are going better than we could have hoped.

— chatham harrison is tending his garden (@chathamharrison) August 28, 2022

Cope: I love the smell of flop-sweat in the morning…

"If the Dems somehow miraculously come out of the midterms on top, doesn't that really probe just how in disarray they are?"

— Mr. Sunflower Enthusiast Grift (@djdunclive) August 29, 2022

It's really something watching Republican elites escape their bubbles and discover how much people despise Dobbs, their hack Supreme Court. and the war of terror and surveillance Republicans are unleashing on American women

— Scott Lemieux (@LemieuxLGM) August 28, 2022

We are better than you. https://t.co/KUdn5y5lRc

— Environmental Services Weedle (@PartyWurmple) August 29, 2022

About yesterday:

“It’s like being at a game where your team doesn’t win. It’s still good to go.”

Spectators who had gathered in Florida to watch NASA's new moon rocket blast off took it in stride when last-minute problems forced the postponement of the launch. pic.twitter.com/xsvbWLenFW

— The Associated Press (@AP) August 29, 2022

If anyone wants to send Engine 2058s employer an outraged email, I think it works for NASA. Well, it’s *supposed* to work for NASA

— Peter Hague PhD (@peterrhague) August 29, 2022