Donald Trump stump speeches are so inflammatory, fiery and chock full of racist dog whistles, that any audience member with a shred of decency and integrity is almost compelled to heckle him.

During Trump’s two presidential runs he was often heckled, and he always responded by threatening hecklers with violence.

During last night’s speech about protecting democracy against Trump and his MAGA followers, Biden was frequently interrupted with cries of “Fuck Joe Biden” and “Let’s go Brandon”, a more polite way of expressing the same hateful sentiment.

President Joe Biden answered hecklers by reminding everyone that profane and obnoxious critics have their place, too. “They’re entitled to be outrageous, he said. “This is a democracy.”

The hecklers interrupting Biden’s speech with obscenities proved the premise of his speech that Trump’s MAGA supporters are unhinged and dangerous.

And Biden’s response proved that he understands that in a democracy even boorish hecklers are tolerated and not threatened with violence.

If the choice in 2024 is once again Trump vs Biden, anyone who heard the president’s speech last night knows that a vote for Biden is a vote for democracy and a vote for Trump is a vote for tyranny.