“Genocide Joe,” the pro-Palstinian protesters are calling Joe Biden in Michigan. The Hamas sympathizers gathered outside the United Auto Workers hall where Biden was to speak to thousands of union members. The UAW recently endorsed Biden after hemming and hawing for a while after Biden at first refused to support their strike.
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But once Biden bent the knee to his union bosses and showed up on a picket line during the strike, the very desirable endorsement was forthcoming.
Still, only about 200 UAW members turned out for the event — about as many protesters who showed up outside.
It should be noted that despite extreme provocation, the Detroit police acted with total professionalism. At one point, the protesters linked arms and tried to break the police line. The cops calmly took a couple of steps back but didn’t give the protesters an opening.
The standoff lasted more than 30 minutes as dozens of demonstrators stood within inches of local law enforcement officers. Teams of riot police wearing helmets and wielding sticks were brought in for reinforcement.
Some organizers repeatedly told the crowd to lock arms and push toward the police line, forcing officers to take a few steps back.
The demonstration remained peaceful and the riot police walked away about 20 minutes after they had arrived on scene. The president’s motorcade did not pass by the protesters when he departed.
Biden currently trails Trump in polls in Michigan, and the Arab-American vote will not return to the Democratic fold without significant concessions. Few will vote for Trump, but many will likely sit on their hands when the election rolls around.
Other states where the Muslim vote could hurt Biden are Ohio and Minnesota. Trump won Ohio in 2016 and 2020 and Michigan in 2016, Trump winning Ohio, Michigan, and Minnesota would put him within spitting distance of the 270 he needs to win.
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Speaking to UAW members a week after the union endorsed his reelection, the president focused on an economic message just months after the UAW won 27% general wage increases over the life of a new four-year contract with the Detroit Three automakers following a targeted strike.
“Wall Street didn’t build the middle class. Labor built the middle class,” Biden said. “When labor does well, everybody does well.”
Perhaps that was true 100 years ago. But the UAW winning a 27% increase in wages means that Americans who aren’t UAW members will be unable to afford a new car. And Biden’s ludicrous EV mandates will make any kind of a vehicle out of reach for millions of Americans.
Biden may have the UAW, but Trump is gunning for the Teamsters. The Teamsters are historically more friendly to the Republicans, and Trump got an estimated 40% of the Teamster vote in 2020.
It will probably be much higher this time around.