President Biden faced criticism on social media after footage showed a small showing of supporters greeting his motorcade in Atlanta, where he held a fundraising event and delivered a commencement speech at Morehouse College. The lack of fanfare over the motorcade sparked mockery and questioning of his popularity. Despite this, Biden credited Georgia voters for his win against former President Trump in 2020 during a fundraiser in Buckhead, Atlanta. He also visited supporters at Mary Mac’s Tea Room before heading to the Arthur M. Blank Family Office for the fundraiser.
Biden’s trip to Atlanta was marked by protests and outrage from Morehouse College students who felt his commencement speech was political and a ploy to garner Black votes. Some students expressed their disappointment in Biden’s visit, stating that they did not want him on their campus and felt he was using them for political gain. Protests were also held criticizing the U.S.’s handling of the war in Israel ahead of Biden’s speech. Morehouse College warned that disruptive protests during commencement proceedings would result in shutting down the ceremony.
The visit to Atlanta comes as a New York Times poll found Trump leading Biden in key battleground states, including Georgia. Trump’s support among Black voters has surged, causing shock among analysts. Trump’s visit to Atlanta last month was surrounded by enthusiastic supporters, and he notably visited a Chick-fil-A where he bought patrons chicken and milkshakes. Trump’s visit to Buckhead, a neighborhood that tried to secede from Atlanta due to rising crime, received support from local Republican leaders and Trump. The effort to secede was fueled by displeasure with the handling of crime by city officials.
Trump has been tied up in a Manhattan courtroom facing charges of falsifying business records in relation to a payment to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Despite this, Trump held a massive rally in deep blue New Jersey last week with at least 80,000 supporters present. He is expected to hold his next rally in the Bronx, his first in New York since 2016. This contrast in engagement and support between Trump and Biden has been noted by critics and analysts. Trump’s ability to draw a crowd and energize supporters has been in stark contrast to Biden’s recent events, leading to speculation about the shifting dynamics of political support in key states.
