“Let’s go, Joe,” someone yells when Biden takes mic at @SCSTATE1896 pic.twitter.com/nC05i3YNOF
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) December 17, 2021
Biden decries “unrelenting assault” on voting rights in S.C. graduation address at Clyburn alma mater https://t.co/slyiiqFLPF
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 17, 2021
Wish they’d assigned this story to somebody other than Anklebiter Annie Linskey, but still:
… “I thought we had some of those major victories. We finally crossed the threshold,” Biden told the students and their families gathered inside a gymnasium for the event. “But what I didn’t realize is you can defeat hate, but you can’t eliminate it.”
Raising his voice, Biden said: “And when given oxygen by political leaders it comes out, ugly and mean as it was before. We can’t give it any oxygen. We have to step on it. We have to respond to it.”
The mostly Black crowd gave Biden his biggest applause as he continued: “It’s not who we are. It’s a minority, but if the majority doesn’t speak up it has a profound impact, as we’ve seen in the last few years.”…
The president came at the request of Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), who graduated from the university 60 years ago but did not have the chance to walk and receive his diploma in person…
“People give me credit for his resounding victory here in South Carolina, but he deserved it,” Clyburn said. “And I said to him way back before the election that I didn’t want him to forget South Carolina, and he’s demonstrating with this visit that he’s not going to forget South Carolina.”
Clyburn said Friday that he arranged for Biden to give the address after the university’s president originally offered him the slot. During Friday’s ceremony Biden handed Clyburn a diploma…
Biden has said that he’s open to a last-minute push on a voting rights bill this year — he said Friday that a new “sinister” combination of voter suppression and election subversion is “un-American.”
“It’s undemocratic and sadly, it is unprecedented since Reconstruction,” Biden said.
In his most partisan remarks, he blamed Republicans for using the filibuster to block a voting rights bill. “Each and every time it gets to be brought up that other team blocks the ability even to start to discuss it,” Biden said. “The team used to be called the Republican Party.”…
Speaking of giving, if you still need a stocking stuffer…
$10 for a whole year of supporting @washingtonpost journalists, reading fascinating stories and not hitting a paywall. You're worth it! Or buy it for your mom. The gift of always having something smart to think and talk about: https://t.co/iEBG9K4sKm
— Drew Harwell (@drewharwell) December 17, 2021
Saturday Morning Open Thread: Season of GivingPost + Comments (108)