President Biden made a campaign stop at Pullman Yards in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 9 to pitch his vision for America under a second term.
Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff each spoke to the crowd, highlighting the legislation passed under the Biden administration and comparing it to the ideas of, in their words, the “alternative,” former President Donald Trump.
Each senator used a call-and-response to energize the crowd before handing it over to leaders of the AAPI Victory Fund, the Collective PAC and the Latino Victory Fund, who announced a $30 million commitment to mobilize minority voters.
The president spoke after remarks by First Lady Jill Biden and Clayton State student Desara Lennon.
Throughout his speech, he reiterated many statements he had made during his State of the Union address while drawing contrasts between him and his predecessor, even criticizing an event held in Rome, Georgia, on the same day.
“Donald Trump has a different constituency,” President Biden said. “Here’s a guy who’s kicking off his general election campaign on the road up with Marjorie Taylor Greene.”
While Biden condemned the former president’s relationship with dictators, a pro-Palestinian protester interrupted the president, referring to him as “Genocide Joe.” The protester was promptly removed from the event as the crowd chanted, “Four more years,” while the protestor chanted, “Free, free Palestine.”
“I don’t resent his passion,” President Biden said. “There’s a lot of Palestinians who are being unfairly victimized.”
Biden’s attention turned back to the former president and he claimed that “it’s not hyperbole to suggest our freedoms are literally on the ballot this November.”
The president specifically focused on voting rights and invoked the name of the late Democratic Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights leader and champion of voting rights.
“That’s why we have to stand up again,” President Biden said. “We know what to do. And my message to Georgia voters and to voters all across this country is: Send me a Congress that will pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.”
The president continued to speak about the recent Alabama Supreme Court IVF ruling, the state of the economy and the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.
“In its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court majority wrote, and I quote, ‘Women are not without electoral or political power,’” he said. “As I said in the State of the Union, ‘They ain’t seen nothing yet.'”
The president ended his speech with one final message stating that he envisions an America, and a presidency, for all Americans.
“We are the United States of America,” President Biden said. “There is simply nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we act together.”
He then told the crowd to get out the vote and walked off stage after picking up a pin that was thrown. To read the president’s full remarks, visit the White House press release webpage.
The Sentinel tried to cover former President Trump’s event in Rome; however, there was no response from the campaign when credentials were requested.
