Opinion | Why Biden had Marines stand behind him during his speech – By Zeeshan Aleem (MSNBC) / Sept 2, 2022
Biden aimed to showcase his faith in the military apparatus and its ability to back the democratic order.
President Joe Biden delivered a striking prime-time speech in Philadelphia on Thursday night warning about the existential threat posed by MAGA Republicans. But some political observers noticed something unusual: two Marines flanking him in the background as he spoke.
CNN’s Jeff Zeleny, for example, claimed that the Marines, combined with a nearby Marine band that played as Biden took the stage, marked “a break with White House traditions.” That claim was rebutted by many critics, who pointed out that several previous presidents have used the presence of troops as part of their backdrop during notable speeches. And, of course, Donald Trump used the military symbolism of Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a now infamous photo-op during which the then-president floated the idea of flooding the streets with troops to put down antiracist protests.
But while it’s true that the presence of military members was not unprecedented, it’s also not the norm. And it was intentional — stagecraft is a major part of political oratory. So it’s worth contending with why the administration chose to have Marines so prominently displayed.
The White House said in a statement on Friday that it was a gesture of “respect” for these service members. But that doesn’t really explain why they were at this specific event. The speech itself provides clues. Biden focused in his remarks on identifying Trump and his most hardcore supporters as a danger to the republic, with their disregard for democratic rule and their propensity for political violence. By placing Marines in his periphery, Biden aimed to showcase his faith in the military apparatus and its ability to back the democratic order — to defend against future attacks on the electoral system. It was an answer to Trump’s attempts to thwart a peaceful transfer of power and mobilize the military against democracy during his tenure.
