ATLANTA – Prominent African-American faith leaders gathered at the Georgia Capitol Thursday to support President Joe Biden’s re-election bid amid a growing chorus that he should step aside because of his age.
The group’s news conference came two weeks after Democrat Biden’s poor performance in a nationally televised debate with presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump in Atlanta produced a storm of calls for Biden to abandon his quest for a second term.
An increasing number of Democrats in Congress are publicly urging Biden to step aside, likely in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris.
But Democrats in Georgia’s congressional delegation are sticking with the president, as are the state’s African-American faith leaders.
“Instead of talking about how old he is, why don’t you talk about how much he’s accomplished?” said Georgia AME Bishop Reginald Jackson, taking aim at the intense coverage the news media has given since the June 27 debate to doubts over Biden’s fitness to continue as president. “His record speaks louder than his (debate) performance.”
“We cannot judge a man based on one night,” the Rev. Timothy McDonald added.
Jackson went on to praise Biden’s achievements on behalf of Black Americans, including the lowest Black unemployment rate in the nation’s history and the unprecedented level of federal funding pouring into America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
McDonald said African-American faith leaders expect to play a large role in getting out the vote for Biden in November, as they have done in past campaigns on behalf of Democratic presidential candidates.
“The Black church will once again save America,” he said. “We’re going to organize our people, mobilize our people, and set records for turnout.”