President Biden, looking to put a friendlier spin on his White House legacy, defended his record in a prime-time address Wednesday night, arguing that he is leaving the country in better shape than he found it.

Speaking from the Oval Office just five days before his term ends, Mr. Biden capped his five-decades long career in Washington with a somber, reflective speech aimed at defining his presidency as transformative and consequential. 

He repeatedly called on Americans to take up the mantle of securing the nation’s principles and asserted that he was passing the baton onto the public.

“After 50 years at the center of all of this, I know that believing in the idea of America means respecting the institutions that govern a free society — the presidency, Congress, the courts and a free and independent press,” he said. 

Mr. Biden also used his outgoing address to warn of the dangers extreme wealth poses to American democracy, a broadside at President-elect Donald Trump and his advisers, many of whom are billionaires. He said such power and influence “literally threatens our entire democracy.” 

“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America … that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights, their freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” he said. “We see the consequences across America.” 

The president also warned against misinformation and disinformation, saying it led to an “abuse of power” in the U.S. He rebuked Meta’s decision to end its fact-checking program. He warned that a free press “is crumbling as it’s disappearing.” 

Mr. Biden also ticked off of his list of accomplishments. He maintained that he ushered America out of the COVID-19 pandemic, restored alliances abroad, and safeguarded democracy and reduced crime. Mr. Biden also scored a victory on his way out the door with Israel and Hamas reaching a ceasefire, ending 15 months of war in the Middle East. 

“We launched a new era of American possibilities, one of the greatest modernization of infrastructure in our entire history,” Mr. Biden said. 

Among the accomplishments, Mr. Biden touted were persistent job growth, lower prescription drug costs and increased investments in clean energy to fight climate change.

In the final days of his presidency, Mr. Biden launched a blitz of actions in an effort to preserve his legacy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to dismantle all of it. Those actions include banning offshore oil drilling, sending aid to Ukraine and getting as many judicial nominations confirmed as possible. 

The remarks were Mr. Biden’s first speech from the Oval Office since July, days after he dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who ultimately lost to Mr. Trump.

Wednesday’s remarks were the most critical in a series of final week farewell addresses by the president. Earlier this week, he gave separate speeches focused on his foreign policy and climate agendas. In each speech, Mr. Biden has boasted of “historic accomplishments” making the case his efforts will impact future generations.

However, Mr. Biden will be trying to persuade a skeptical public. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll last week found that 47% of respondents rated Mr. Biden as a “poor” or “terrible” president. Only about 25% of respondents said Mr. Biden was a “good” or “great president.

In comparison, 36% of Americans said Mr. Trump was “good” or “great” when he left office four years ago and 52% said the same thing about President Obama in 2016.

A separate Gallup Poll found that 54% of Americans view Mr. Biden as a “poor” or “below average” president.

The presidential farewell address is a tradition that dates back to George Washington. Presidents use the speech to tout their records and well as warn their successors of potential roadblocks.

Most of Mr. Biden’s recent successors have delivered farewell addresses acknowledging setbacks but asking history to look favorably upon them. Mr. Trump did not deliver a farewell speech after he lost the 2020 election, but he posted a recorded video message online the day before Mr. Biden was sworn into office. 

• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.