I believe America is at an inflection point.

One of those moments that determine the shape of everything that's to come after.

And now, America must choose to move forward or to move backwards.

To build a future or obsess about the past, to be a nation of hope and

unity and optimism, or a nation of fear, division, and of darkness.

President Biden gives a forceful and fiery speech calling out the former president and his

followers.

The rare prime time address ramped up attacks on those he says are threatening the very

foundations of our republic.

Plus, Trump's lawyers and the Justice Department face off in federal court will explain

the big developments to come out of the special master hearing. And a hot

holiday weekend arrives with little to know running water for nearly 200,000 people in Mississippi.

The state now has troops on the ground to help with a weeks-long water crisis. Good morning and welcome to way too early.

I'm Jonathan Lemire on this Friday, September 2nd.

Thank you for starting your day with us.

We'll begin in Philadelphia, where President Joe Biden issued a dire warning about threats to American democracy last night in a rare primetime address.

Standing outside historic Independence Hall, where the United States Constitution was written and signed,

the president spoke directly about the dangers posed by the Trump-backed wing of the Republican Party.

Here's some of what he had to say.

Equality and democracy are under assault.

We do ourselves no favor to pretend otherwise.

So tonight, I've come to this place where it all began

...