Biden takes veiled swipe at Trump in commencement address

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Biden takes veiled swipe at Trump during Columbia Law School commencement speech

Vice President Biden calls out those 'tasked with enforcing the rule of law' for 'abusing their powers' during virtual commencement address.

Joe Biden took an indirect shot at President Trump on Wednesday as he delivered Columbia Law School’s virtual commencement address, arguing that those in charge are “abusing their powers.”

Speaking online to the 2020 law school graduates, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said, “For all of you, no matter your differences of opinion, protect the very foundations of democracy. Trust in self-governance, because right now it's under attack.”

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The former vice president -- without naming the president -- then stressed, “The very people tasked with enforcing the rule of law are abusing their powers, protecting their friends, and weakening the very principles that make our country work.”

Trump re-election campaign deputy press secretary Ken Farnaso - responding to the speech - argued in a statement to Fox News that "given his record of plagiarism and academic embellishment, is anyone really surprised that Biden would politicize a law school commencement address instead of reflect on his record. In good news for the Biden campaign, it probably was his largest online audience to date.”

The comments by Biden follow twin commencement addresses delivered on Saturday by former President Barack Obama, in which Trump’s predecessor in the White House took aim at the current incumbent without specifically mentioning his successor.

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“More than anything, this pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they’re doing,” Obama told college and university graduates on Saturday. “A lot of them aren’t even pretending to be in charge.”

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And in a speech to high school students, he urged to “do what you think is right.”

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“Doing what feels good, what’s convenient, what’s easy — that’s how little kids think. Unfortunately, a lot of so-called grown-ups, including some with fancy titles and important jobs, still think that way — which is why things are so screwed up,” he said.

Trump responded a day later, saying “look, he [Obama] was an incompetent president. That’s all I can say. Grossly incompetent.”