Joe Biden knows that he needs every single swing vote if he wants to beat Trump. But a recent incident has made it clear that this won’t happen.
And Biden’s newest voter betrayal may cripple his election chances.
In a striking display of dissent, several students at Morehouse College turned their backs on President Joe Biden during his commencement speech on Sunday.
The event took place at the historically black college, which is also the alma mater of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.
Photographs posted on social media by a pro-Trump super PAC showed at least three Morehouse graduates standing with their backs turned to the president.
One of these students donned a keffiyeh scarf, a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians.
The press pool traveling with Biden also noted the presence of a student at the back of the ceremony with his back turned and his right fist raised, while “a few” graduates and faculty members were seen wearing keffiyeh scarves.
During his speech, President Biden condemned the October attack by Hamas on Israel, calling it “vicious” and acknowledged the hostages taken during the incident.
However, he devoted a significant portion of his address to the “humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” advocating for an “immediate ceasefire,” and urging students to ensure their “voices should be heard,” in reference to the pro-Palestinian protests that have been erupting on college campuses nationwide.
“I support peaceful, non-violent protest. Your voices should be heard. And I promise you, I hear them,” Biden affirmed, signaling his acknowledgment of the dissenting opinions among the student body.
Biden’s appearance at Morehouse was a strategic move to bolster support among the black American electorate, a key Democratic constituency, as the 2024 election approaches.
However, recent polling data suggests that Biden’s support within this demographic has been waning.
A May 6 report from Breitbart News highlighted an I&I/TIPP Poll survey that revealed a significant shift in voter sentiment.
Since the 2020 election, former President Donald Trump has gained three percentage points among black voters, while Biden has seen a substantial 28 percent drop in support.
Additionally, a New York Times/Siena poll indicated that Trump is garnering over 20 percent of the black vote — the highest level of support for a Republican presidential candidate among black voters since the Civil Rights Act was enacted in 1964.
Adding to the moment, Morehouse valedictorian DeAngelo Jeremiah Fletcher echoed Biden’s call for peace, urging for an “immediate and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza during his address.
Biden’s applause in response to Fletcher’s call underscored the president’s alignment with the message of peace, even as he faces criticism for his handling of international and domestic issues.
The dissenting students’ actions reflect broader dissatisfaction among parts of the electorate with Biden’s policies and his administration’s priorities.
The incident at Morehouse serves as a microcosm of the growing frustrations that many black voters feel, particularly concerning Biden’s focus on foreign conflicts over pressing domestic issues.
Biden’s attempt to shore up support among black voters by addressing their concerns at Morehouse appears to have been met with mixed reactions.
The evident dissatisfaction among the graduates points to a larger challenge for the Biden campaign.
As the 2024 election looms, Biden’s ability to recapture and maintain the support of black voters will be crucial.
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