President Joe Biden told attendees of his private fundraising events on Wednesday that the U.S. is at risk of regressing as a country if former President Donald Trump is elected.
As reported by The Dallas Express, trial lawyer Russell Budd and lawyer Regina Montoya hosted the first private event on March 20. Dallas businessman and physician Kneeland Youngblood hosted the second Dallas fundraiser, per The Dallas Morning News.
During the first fundraiser event, which reportedly netted $2.5 million, Biden emphasized the changes the U.S. has seen over the past four years.
“Four years later, look how far we’ve come,” remarked Biden. “Donald Trump is not president, that’s the first thing,” he quipped.
He lambasted Trump’s handling of the coronavirus, per DMN. Conversely, Biden spotlighted achievements during his tenure, including advancements in reducing healthcare costs, manufacturing job creation, and infrastructure development.
Biden posed a rhetorical question: “Does anyone here want to go back to 2020?” He warned against reverting to the past and expressed concerns about the country’s trajectory under Trump’s leadership if re-elected, citing potential efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and implement a national ban on abortions, as reported by the DMN.
Biden also critiqued Trump’s judicial appointments, urging attendees to contemplate the potential impact of further appointments and accusing Trump of fostering division in America.
“I see a picture of America where we don’t demonize, where we leave hate behind,” said Biden, per DMN.
In closing remarks at the fundraising event, Biden urged supporters to rally behind candidates like U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX), emphasizing the importance of Texas Democrats getting involved.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher,” Biden declared, per DMN.
Democrat strategist Matt Angle emphasized the importance of maintaining competitiveness in Texas, asserting that a strong performance by Biden would bolster Democrat prospects. U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas) echoed this sentiment, highlighting Texas as a pivotal opportunity for Democrats, per DMN.
Dallas County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins, who met Biden at the airport upon landing in Dallas, posited that Biden’s appeal to Texas voters might help down-ballot voters disenchanted with Trump. However, Jenkins added that U.S. Rep. Allred (D-Dallas) had a better chance of upsetting incumbent U.S. Sen. Cruz (R-TX) than Biden does of beating Trump in November, according to DMN.
Not all responses to Biden’s visit were positive. Texas Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Plano) criticized Biden’s policies, attributing economic challenges and concerns about border security to Biden’s administration.
“From Biden’s failed economic policies that have caused prices to spike, to his open border policies that make us less safe, we are worse off under Biden,” Shaheen said, per DMN.
Biden awoke on Thursday to an even larger display of criticism in Downtown Dallas. Activists from the Palestinian Youth Movement gathered across the street from the Fairmont Hotel where the president was staying to protest with anti-Israel chants, according to WFAA. Drums, Palestinian flags, and picket signs lined the sidewalk in the early morning hours to draw attention to messaging aimed at Biden.
