Tag: biden

Young Black Americans not sold on Biden, the Democrats or voting
POLITICS

Young Black Americans not sold on Biden, the Democrats or voting

Most political analysts define “swing voters” as those who swing their support from one party to the other between election cycles – determining winners and losers in the process. According to this conventional wisdom, the “swingiest” voters are working-class whites in the Midwest, who supposedly hold the keys to the White House. Meanwhile, by contrast, pundits often portray Black Americans as an undifferentiated mass – loyal Democrat-supporting foot soldiers who will execute their mission for The Team on Tuesday as long as some preacher provides the right marching orders on Sunday. If these depictions have not already expired, they are certainly growing stale. Having studied electoral trends for decades, we can tell you that those undecided voters of the past are an endangered species ...
Biden Our Vote And That Support Must Be Earned
POLITICS

Biden Our Vote And That Support Must Be Earned

Not long before the murder of George Floyd, America witnessed a viral incident that depicted the volatility of Black life. We saw Amy Cooper, a White woman, threaten and maliciously call the New York City police to punish a Black male birder who dared to ask her to restrain her unleashed dog. The inherent harm of this call—the harm she intended and that which was possible—was evident. This careless disregard for Black life makes women such as Amy Cooper dangerous. We all know this is not new information. In 2016, an estimated 53% of White women voted to elect Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States despite the disdain and hatred he and his supporters expressed for Black people. Just as Cooper knowingly weaponized law enforcement for her benefit, so too did the women who hel...
Sanders exit opened door for Obama to endorse Biden – and offer up his rhetorical skills
POLITICS, VIDEO REELS

Sanders exit opened door for Obama to endorse Biden – and offer up his rhetorical skills

The three endorsements Joe Biden needed most came within the space of 48 hours. First, Bernie Sanders backed his former Democratic rival for president on April 13, effectively ending the Democratic primary. The emergence of a consensus candidate appeared to liberate former president Barack Obama, who a day later reentered American politics proper, after dedicating three years to staying largely below the political radar. In a 12-minute YouTube video, Obama declared he was “proud to endorse Joe Biden” adding, “I believe Joe has the qualities we need in a president.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren followed suit on April 15, pledging her own support to Biden. The emergence of a consensus candidate – reportedly after Obama held a series of conversations with Sanders – allowed the former president to...
Biden’s big night with moderates, African Americans and Baby Boomers
POLITICS

Biden’s big night with moderates, African Americans and Baby Boomers

With the race for the Democratic nomination narrowed to two front-runners, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, six states went to the polls on March 10: Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota and Washington. We asked three scholars to examine the primary results. Keisha N. Blain, University of Pittsburgh The March 10 Democratic primary results highlight the power of the African American vote. Despite Sanders’ efforts to reach African American voters, he was unable to win their vote on Tuesday night. He underperformed in several states, including some he previously won in 2016. At the heart of Sanders’ loss is the African American vote. While African American voters are not a monolithic group, the majority lent their support to Biden on March 10. There are many factors that acco...