U.S. President Joe Biden highlighted the significant differences between himself and potential Republican rival Donald Trump on Saturday, emphasizing that the former president has failed to support the rights of Black citizens and poses a threat to the economy and democracy in the United States. Biden's comments came during a dinner celebrating South Carolina and its large base of Black voters as the first state to vote in the Democratic primary for the upcoming presidential election in November.
Biden discussed a list of his achievements that he claimed have helped a broad range of Americans, including Black citizens. Protesters interrupted his speech three times, objecting to his close relationship with Israel and the violence suffered by Palestinians. Biden has lost popularity among some Black voters who supported him in the 2020 election due to dissatisfaction with his failure to enact legislation on voting rights and other issues.
Although Democrats have little hope of winning the state's votes, Biden hopes that focusing on South Carolina will help boost support among Black voters. He characterized Trump as "a bit confused these days," adding, "He seems unable to distinguish between Nikki Haley and Nancy Pelosi," referring to a recent speech where Trump repeatedly referred to his Republican rival Haley as Pelosi, the former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Biden noted that South Carolina brought him to the White House with a significant win in the 2020 Democratic primary, which saved his campaign. The Democratic primary in South Carolina is scheduled for February 3, and Biden is expected to win easily as he moves toward securing the party's nomination for the election.
