In his first public speech after the Donald Trump assassination attempt, President Joe Biden told Black folks at the 115th NAACP National Convention he is “all in” during a 30-minute speech about his plans for the future, Black issues, and most interestingly, what he thinks a “Black job” is.
Following the June 27 presidential debate between former president Trump and Biden, Black people everywhere scrambled to figure out exactly what Trump meant by migrants were taking “Black jobs.” The internet had a lot to say in response to Trump’s racially charged remark, and during the NAACP convention in Las Vegas, Biden took it upon himself to set the record straight.
“Folks, I know what the hell a ‘Black job’ is,” Biden told the audience. “It’s the vice president of the United States,” he continued to a roaring crowd. “I know what a ‘Black job’ is — the first Black president in American history, Barack Obama.”
Biden has been on a race to prove to Black voters he is in fact on their side. Black people know they played a critical role in Biden’s first election, with 92 percent of the Black votes going to him, according to PEW Research. Biden realizes this too.
The president went on to mention that he nominated the first Black woman, Justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson, to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022, and Biden insisted his efforts to help the Black community haven’t stopped there.
After telling the audience Trump was “lying like Hell” about Black unemployment, Biden mentioned his work to bring the unemployment rate for Black Americans to a historic lowest. Biden also spoke about future plans to cut taxes for the American working class and his $16 million investment to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
After bragging about all he’s done for Black folks, Biden lined up his plans for if he is reelected in November. “It’s not enough to talk about the past. We need a vision for the future,” he said.
His goals, which include plans to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, restore Roe v. Wade “come hell or high water,” and sign the George Floyd Policing Act into law, cater specifically to Black Americans and other minority groups. Although his speech was well-received by convention goers, many Black Americans still have a difficult time trusting the Democratic nominee.
As of April 2024, Biden’s approval with the Black community has hit a low of 55 percent, dropping from his original 86 percent in 2021, according to a PEW Research study. Biden is also slowly losing ground with young Black voters (ages 18-29) even though Trump doesn’t seem to be gaining.