For decades, the Democratic Party has been extremely successful at keeping its base united.
They have done that largely by focusing on culture wars and division.
By labeling Republicans as racist, sexist, misogynistic or simply by adding the suffix “phobic” after the names of minority groups, Democrats have managed to create a voting monolith that believes they have the moral high ground and will not defect, regardless of the personal cost.
But lately, there have been a few chinks in that armor.
The war in Gaza, caused by the brutal attacks on Israel by Hamas militants, has caused some in the Democratic party to turn against their party leader.
Polls indicate falling support among Muslim and Arab Americans — crucial constituencies in battleground states like Michigan, where Biden recently lost the 2024 Democrat presidential primary to “uncommitted” voters in the city of Dearborn, according to ABC.
Biden was interrupted over a dozen times during an abortion rights speech in Virginia in January.
Protesters carrying Palestinian flags shouted, “Genocide Joe!” according to The Guardian.
‘Gaza is going to be a major issue in this election…every election event that Biden goes to, he encounters protesters that call him Genocide Joe’
–@SMArikat, Washington Bureau Chief of Al-Quds Newspaper, who has challenged the US’ complicity in the genocide in Gaza regularly… pic.twitter.com/5NgK2wm29V
— Going Underground (@GUnderground_TV) March 1, 2024
One of the organizers of the event promised, “Every event the president does, no matter where it is, [no] matter what state or city, there will be Americans who stand against his stance on Gaza.”
Is Biden fit for office?
The Biden campaign is going to great lengths to minimize disruptions from pro-Palestinian protesters at the president’s events, according to NBC.
The efforts have included making events smaller, withholding locations until Biden’s arrival, avoiding college campuses and even considering the prospect of hiring private vetting companies to screen every attendee.
While the Biden team has successfully reduced disruptions at official White House and campaign happenings, pro-Palestinian activists have still interrupted other Biden appearances hosted by outside groups.
During Biden’s visit to San Francisco last week, witnesses said that protesters pursued reporters into a hotel parking garage as the journalists made their way to the president’s motorcade, according to NBC News.
But instead of talking to this clearly infuriated part of his voting base and explaining his reasons for supporting Israel, the Biden campaign has opted to avoid college campuses and larger venues.
Although he is expected to do a few “larger events,” including college campuses, Biden will now mostly hold events in smaller venues, “where he thrives,” according to one source, NBC reported.
Organizers are also considering raising the price of the low-cost tickets to a number which, the administration hopes, would deter anyone who is not a “true supporter.”
But, according to an NBC article from earlier this year, Biden aides had already been reportedly advising him to ditch the larger events and play to his “Uncle Joe” affability by doing more quick stops rather than prepared speeches.
It may not be sustainable for the entire campaign, but letting the media know that they are avoiding large crowds because of protesters seems like a convenient merging of purposes, as it also keeps the aging president from longer, more tiring events.
Additionally, it dodges comparisons between the number of people usually at the president’s events, compared to the huge Trump rallies.
The optics of the president speaking to tiny groups of tens while his Republican opponent regales crowds of tens of thousands may be pitiful, but at least now they can blame the protesters for it.
