Clearly you seek to find meaning in this illogical, spurious analogy. I think you nailed it. The only rational inferences are what you’ve listed. Or also, “Employment is irrelevant since it obtained ( fully ) under a regime of horribleness.” As did respiration. So I guess breathing is of no value, either.
The goal of language is to convey a thought as well as an emotional response. He has the second one covered. The first, not so much
Well, in his defense, he is about to turn 80, making him about average aged for a Congressional Democrat. Maybe he was having a Biden Moment?