A number of top Michigan Democrats, including the state governor, snubbed President Joe Biden’s rally in the must-win state on Friday.
According to Steve Peoples of the Associated Press, those not present at the rally included Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sen. Gary Peters, and Rep. Elissa Slotkin.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will not attend Biden’s Michigan appearance on Friday. Sen. Gary Peters, a steadfast Biden supporter, and Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who is vying for Michigan’s open Senate seat, will also be absent. United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain is traveling…
— Steve Peoples (@sppeoples) July 12, 2024
Rep. Hillary Scholten reportedly also skipped the event, instead choosing to release a statement calling for the president to step aside.
“President Biden has secured an incredible legacy during his lifetime of public service,” the statement reads. “The president’s tremendous achievements on infrastructure, healthcare costs, climate change, and gun safety follow a distinguished career in the Senate, which included landmark accomplishments such as the Violence Against Women’s Act.”
“President Biden has spent his life serving our nation and building the next generation of American leadership. For the good of our democracy,
| believe it is time for him to step aside from the presidential race and allow a new leader to step up,” the statement continues.
President Biden has served his country well, but for the sake of our democracy, he must pass the torch to a new candidate for the 2024 election. pic.twitter.com/derEO1kl3f
— Hillary Scholten (@HillaryScholten) July 11, 2024
Scholten is one of nearly two dozen congressional Democrats who’ve issued public statements calling for the president to step aside and let a stronger opponent take on former President Donald Trump.
Thus far, the president has dismissed concerns about his health and vowed to continue soldiering ahead against the former president.
Despite not attending Friday’s rally, Whitmer did issue a shout-out to the president on X, writing, “Motor City is all in for Biden-Harris.”
Look:
It’s always great to have President @JoeBiden in Detroit! Motor City is all in for Biden-Harris.
— Gretchen Whitmer (@gretchenwhitmer) July 12, 2024
Whitmer, for her part, is co-chair of Biden’s campaign and has pledged to continue supporting the president unless he decides to drop out.
“He shows up every day and fights for the American public,” she said during a CNN interview Wednesday. “He cares about other people more than he cares about himself.”
“And that’s precisely why I think this moment where we have Donald Trump, who’s been convicted of 34 felonies, who cares only about Donald Trump, we can’t lose sight of how high these stakes are. We have a field, and unless one person, Joe Biden, makes an alternative decision, this is the field, and we’ve got to go,” she added.
However, during the interview, the governor suggested that it “wouldn’t hurt” for the president to take a cognitive test.
Listen:
As for the Friday rally itself, the New York Post notes that none of the president’s “warmup speakers ever said simply ‘Vote for Joe Biden,’ choosing instead to say ‘Vote for Democracy’ or ‘Vote for Freedom.'”
Public attendees of the rally told the Post they hoped the president would perform better than he did during his devastating debate late last month with former President Trump.
“I’m hoping he’ll be better,” a young attendee named Akil told The Post. “He needs to talk about jobs and families. We need better there.”
“I agree the key is family and how he will improve our homes and everyday lives,” Asher, another young attendee, added.
Meanwhile, the “unifying” theme for the rally was Orange Man Bad.
“Flush his ass down the f–king toilet,” one cranky retired union worker told the Post, referring to Trump. “And you can quote me on that. Biden is the ONLY choice for working Americans. There is no other.”
The rally was reportedly protested by anti-Israel zealots.
“Biden, Biden, what do you say? How many kids have you killed today?” one zealot reportedly shouted from her microphone.
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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