A former official for the Democratic National Convention (DNC) sparred with Fox News’s Harris Faulkner about black and Arab voters drifting away from President Joe Biden.
Jose Aristimuno, the ex-DNC official, said President Joe Biden will succeed in the Michigan Democratic primary Tuesday, despite many Arab Americans in the state pushing for an “uncommitted vote” over the president’s support for Israel, CNN reported. Layla Elabed, a Palestinian American, founded The Listen to Michigan campaign with other activists in the weeks leading up to the primary to send a “clear, sharp message” to Biden over the crisis.
“What I want to know is what can he accomplish? I mean, seriously. If he loses Michigan,” Faulkner said.
“Well, look, it’s a great question. I think first and foremost … it’s a political strategy from certain folks in Michigan who don’t approve of what Biden’s doing or where he stands when it comes to Israel and Hamas. But I will say this, it’s a minority of folks. A majority of people in Michigan care about the economy, Harris, and we can argue if it’s gone up 0.1% or whatever —” Aristimuno said.
“No, no, no, but the prices continue to go up because it’s so stubborn,” Faulkner said.
“So I think it’s gonna do great tomorrow and people are gonna back Biden tomorrow and they’re gonna back him in the general. We got to remember in Michigan, we won it in 2020 with 100,000 votes and that’s a reality,” Aristimuno said.
“You know what’s a really sad part about all this, Jose, is what you just said. Well, they’re a minority of people. So are blacks,” Faulkner said. “So this president says, does whatever he wants and it doesn’t matter who he defends, he can always count on Republican representative James Clyburn to dig him out.” (RELATED: Many Democrats Disapprove Of Biden’s Response To Israel-Hamas War: POLL)
The former DNC official denied Faulkner’s accusation that he argued the Arab Americans angry with Biden are minorities and so their votes do not matter as much.
“But you just said they’re a minority, they don’t really count in terms of —” Harris began.
“No, no, no, that’s not what I said,” Aristimuno said. “The uncommitted people who would vote tomorrow in Michigan. They’re a minority. I’m not talking about the Arab community, I’m saying there’s a minority of folks who are gonna vote uncommitted tomorrow. A majority of people will back Joe Biden. That’s what I said.”
Elabed told CNN her uncommitted vote campaign is a “humanitarian vote” against the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. It has received endorsements by more than three dozen progressive organizations, Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib and other lawmakers.
Many Democrats, particularly young voters, have threatened to withhold their votes for Biden over his support for Israel. Many staffers on Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign have raged at the president over his support for Israel and have urged him to call for a ceasefire.