At a rally in Detroit on Friday evening, an embattled Joe Biden sought to assuage pervasive fears that his candidacy for reelection is in major trouble as a growing list of politicians and celebrities call for him to step down from the 2024 Democratic ticket.
Biden’s agenda in Detroit was to deflect the focus off of his alarming debate performance on June 27, which for many people highlighted his advanced age and raised questions about his ability to lead the nation for another term. A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released Thursday had 56 percent of Democratic voters saying they’d like Biden to step aside and allow another party leader to run against Donald Trump.
The president’s rival was the topic on hand for most of his speech in Detroit as he highlighted Project 2025, a group of right-wing policy proposals born at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, to reshape the United States government and consolidate executive power.
Though Trump is claiming in recent days to know nothing about Project 2025, the people who drafted the proposed overhaul include Trump’s longtime allies and former Trump administration officials.
Project 2025 was alluded to by Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, who warmed up the capacity crowd at Renaissance High School.
“Donald Trump and his allies are laying the groundwork for a future where the federal government can be weaponized against his so-called enemies, immigrants, minorities, women, military service members who he calls suckers and losers — anybody who doesn’t grovel at his feet,” Spencer said. “So Americans have a choice to make. Who do we trust to fight for us?”
Spencer’s appearance comes as a number of high-profile Hollywood donors, including George Clooney, have called for Biden to drop out of the race.
Biden took to the stage decorated with signs reading, “Motown is Joe Town,” around 4:20 p.m. PT with the crowd chanting, “Don’t you quit!” and “We’ve got your back!” He began by thanking labor unions that were present and quickly stumped on key issues like restoring reproductive rights, lowering drug prices and expanding health care before strongly reaffirming his commitment to his presidential bid.
“There’s been lots of speculation, ladies and gentlemen: What’s Joe Biden gonna do? Is he gonna stay in the race? Is he gonna drop out? I am running and we’re gonna win,” he declared, then citing a Marist poll that has him up 50 to 48.
The speech came as major Democratic donors told the largest pro-Biden super PAC, Future Forward, that they were freezing around $90 million in pledged donations as long as President Biden is atop the ticket.
From here, Biden did what seemed to be his goal in Detroit: turning the focus on Trump.
“Do you really want to go back to the chaos of Donald Trump as president?” Biden asked, rallying the boisterous crowd. “Back when the United States lost 3 million jobs. By the way, Donald Trump is the only president in American history, other than Herbert Hoover, who lost more jobs than he had when he came in. That’s why I call him Donald ‘Herbert Hoover’ Trump.”
Biden also attacked Trump on his economic policy, which he claimed would increase inflation. Prices have recently fallen for cars, appliances, airfares and groceries. Biden told the crowd that Trump’s plan to add a 10 percent tariff to all imports will cost working families $2,500 a year.
Biden soon went for the jugular, bringing up all of Trump’s many legal troubles, including the E. Jean Carroll defamation case in which a judge said it was “substantially true” when Carroll said in court that the former president and presumptive GOP nominee raped her. Bringing up this moment, Biden pointedly repeated the word “rape,” seemingly for emphasis.
At a point, Biden’s speech was interrupted by a single pro-Palestine demonstrator who was quickly removed by security while chanting “Free, free Palestine.” Biden told the crowd that he understands “her passion” and referring to Israel’s campaign in Gaza, added, “This war must end.”
Overall, Biden delivered a campaign moment akin to his equally forceful call to MSNBC on Monday morning. It was his strongest public performance in weeks but it may not be anything near what’s needed to stop his campaign from hemorrhaging crucial support. Yet he undoubtedly pumped up the crowd in Detroit in his speech, which concluded with a clear distinction between himself and his rival.
“I know I look 40 years old,” he joked. “I’m a little bit old, but with a little age comes a little wisdom. Here’s what I know: I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to do this job, and I know Americans want a president, not a dictator.”
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