Biden Strengthens Appeals to Black Voters in Effort to Secure Re-Election

US President Joe Biden. (Reuters). Img source: www.arabnews.pk

May 20, 2024 Story by: Editor

President Joe Biden is intensifying his efforts to regain support among Black voters, a crucial demographic that played a key role in his 2020 election victory. This week, he is focusing on events commemorating civil rights milestones and engaging with the next generation of leaders at Martin Luther King Jr.’s alma mater, Morehouse College . This outreach comes in response to polls indicating a decline in support from Black voters, many of whom are dissatisfied with his handling of economic issues and the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Biden aims to reaffirm his commitment to civil rights progress as he marks the anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education case , which declared segregation in schools unconstitutional. His speech at Morehouse College in Atlanta, amid national campus protests, will target young Black men, a group where his support has notably waned.

Since the Civil Rights era, Black voters have been a reliable base for Democratic presidential candidates. However, leaders of Black grassroots organizations warn that Biden cannot take their support for granted. In the lead-up to November, Biden plans to highlight his administration’s achievements and contrast his record with the Trump presidency.

“He has to answer two questions: Why go out and bother to vote, which is almost the same question of what’s in it for me for voters,” said Biden campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond. “And then he has to answer the Janet Jackson test of – ‘What have you done for me lately?’”

In a recent radio interview, Biden urged Black voters to remember former President Donald Trump’s history. “He falsely accused the Central Park Five,” Biden told Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan on V-103.3 in Atlanta. “He’s a founder of birtherism, he tried to repeal Obamacare the first time – now he’s promised to do even more damage.”

Biden has emphasized infrastructure investments, student debt relief, and changes in marijuana policy as key accomplishments for Black voters. However, some campaign promises, like sweeping voting rights legislation, have fallen short. Polls suggest Trump is gaining traction among Black voters, with a New York Times/Siena College survey showing Trump securing over 20% of Black voters in a head-to-head matchup with Biden.

“There are people in the Black community who are feeling like not a lot has changed,” Bernice King, daughter of the late civil rights leader, told Bloomberg .

Biden’s deep ties to the Black community, dating back to the Civil Rights Movement and his vice presidency under Barack Obama, are crucial for his re-election bid. This week, he met with plaintiffs in the Brown v. Board of Education case and is set to deliver speeches at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Morehouse College, and an NAACP event in Detroit.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson dismissed polls showing an erosion of support for Biden, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a functioning democracy.

Biden’s campaign underscores his achievements for Black Americans, including COVID-19 vaccinations, economic relief during the pandemic, and support for Black small businesses and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). His advisors believe that contrasting his presidency with Trump’s, particularly regarding the Supreme Court, will be critical.

“People may not believe, but a court case can be revisited,” said Richmond. “Trump’s court would absolutely put Brown vs. Board of Education back in play. They may put Plessy vs. Ferguson back in play.” Source: CNN

As the election nears, Biden’s team is working to re-engage voters, emphasizing the stakes of a potential second Trump term. The first debate of the 2024 campaign cycle is expected next