First, Biden conflated some conservative positions with illiberal attempts to destroy the nation. He talked about how “MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards,” but then hastened to add, “Backwards to an America where there is no right to choose…”

To Biden’s base, this line probably sounds like music to their ears. But I’m someone who is both pro-democracy and pro-life. Wouldn’t a leader who is truly concerned about preserving democracy want the broadest coalition possible? And wouldn’t that include allies in this cause who happen to support the right to life? Apparently not.

Biden also warned that America was going backwards to an America where there was “no right to marry who you love.” Going back to the way things were just seven years ago—before the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the land—might very well be a step in the wrong direction, but what does that have to do with Trumpism—much less the collapse of democracy and MAGA conservatives scoffing at the idea that rule of law applies to Trump, too?

I don’t want to confuse causation with correlation, but wasn’t democracy actually in a better place in 2015?