'Democracy depends on certain rules': Biden marks 250th anniversary with a stern reminder

Americans may be rejoicing in the nation's 250th birthday, and there may be good reason for it, according to former U.S. President Joe Biden, who argued that the citizenry may not be as divided as portrayed in a resurfaced clip of an interview with NBC News. "I'm sure there are anywhere from 15 to 30 percent of the people who are on the one end here. But I think the vast majority of people are coming around to conclude that, so they don't even think about it directly," he told TODAY's Jenna Bush Hager.

The 83-year-old went on to assert that people are beginning to realise the safeguards in the Constitution are being trampled upon right now. "I'm hopeful that people are going to begin to say: We've got to slow this thing up. We're coming to the 250th anniversary of the country. And for me, I think it reminds people that democracies depend on certain basic rules," he continued.

Biden called America the "most unique country" in the world, saying its identity is tied to a shared belief in a constitutional order. "We really think democracy is dictated by the rules of the Constitution. We do believe, and we act, and when we do, we do well, that all men are created equal," he said. Former President Barack Obama echoed the sentiment, saying, "If we pay attention to our responsibilities and duties and extend respect to our fellow citizens, then we're gonna have another 250-year run that's gonna be just as good."

Obama offered a pointed reminder during the interview: "The basic principle upon which this country was founded is we don't have rulers, kings, monarchs, aristocracies — we have citizens." The special episode featured former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden honoring the nation's 250th anniversary. The four leaders discussed their place in the country's history, the camaraderie they share, the challenges they faced during their presidencies, and what they're grateful for since leaving office.

The former Delaware senator, who served in the Senate for 36 years, delivered a new message to Americans on July 4, posting on X that America is the only nation built not on ethnicity, blood or geography but on an idea. "That's always been what makes us exceptional," he wrote. "There's nothing guaranteed about our democracy. We have to fight for it, defend it, and earn it. Over and over, year after year. That's not a burden. That's what it means to be an American."