President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are planning to have a minimal presence for delivering commencement addresses at college campuses amid growing protests by pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Biden is scheduled to speak at Morehouse College and West Point in May, while Harris is set to give a graduation speech at the Air Force Academy. First lady Jill Biden is also expected to deliver a commencement address, although no school has been named. The number of speeches planned for Biden and Harris is similar to previous years, with previous examples including speeches by Barack Obama and Joe Biden during election years.
White House officials have not revealed how Biden may address the campus unrest, but press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that Biden views these addresses as an opportunity to deliver encouraging and uplifting messages to graduates and their families. Despite media attention on campus protests, public polling and research show that young voters are more concerned about issues such as inflation, healthcare, gun violence, protecting democracy, climate change, and women’s reproductive rights. John Della Volpe from the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics mentioned that Biden could use a commencement ceremony to address concerns about Gaza and bridge divides on this issue.
The Biden campaign has been focusing heavily on finding innovative ways to motivate younger voters, launching a young voter program early in the presidential campaign and deploying staff to organize a presence at colleges in targeted states. The campaign is using digital programs and paid advertising on social media apps to reach college students online and is also targeting non-college-enrolled young voters at public gatherings like music festivals and sporting events. A major effort targeting young voters on abortion rights will be launched next week to engage with this crucial voter demographic.
Harris conducted a “Fight for Our Freedoms” tour of colleges last fall, visiting nine campuses and speaking to a combined 15,000 students. Biden has been holding events at smaller colleges with carefully vetted audiences, focusing on intimate gatherings that can be filmed and distributed by the digital team. Rep. Ro Khanna, a member of the Biden campaign’s national advisory board, noted that while inflation and healthcare are top concerns among students, the situation in Gaza is still a subject of respectful debate. Khanna emphasized the importance of engaging with young voters on this issue to show that their voices are being heard and their concerns are being addressed.
Young voters are planning to vote, and many are planning to vote for Biden, according to campaign officials. Despite disagreements on certain issues, the campaign aims to make clear the contrasts and stakes of the election to remind people why their vote matters. While the situation in Gaza may not be the number one issue for young voters, it is still a significant topic for discussion and engagement. Overall, the Biden campaign is working to engage with young voters through a variety of strategies, both online and in-person, to ensure they understand the importance of their vote and the impact it can have in the upcoming election.
