Union workers appear to join Arab-Americans incensed over the Biden Administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza as part of the coalition of Michiganders abandoning President Joe Biden. At least, this is what NBC News is conveying to viewers in its latest installment of an ongoing series which at this point should be reported to the FEC by the Biden campaign as an in-kind GOTV contribution.
Watch as White House correspondent Gabe Gutierrez interviews some more Arab-Americans that aren’t voting for Biden over Gaza:
GABE GUTIERREZ: Another challenge for president Biden here? Cratering support for Michigan's huge Arab-American population, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.
SAMRAA LUQMAN: I think he is funding a genocide.
GUTIERREZ: The president today said he understood that pain and passion, but that's not enough for Lori-Kamleh Ajlouny in the Detroit suburbs.
How disappointed are you with the Biden administration?
LORI_KAMLEH AJLOUNY: I am heartbroken. I am so hurt that it's a feeling of betrayal.
GUTIERREZ: She voted for Mr. Biden in 2020. But now --
AJLOUNY: There is a widespread underground campaign of Arabs, of Muslims where we cannot morally support President Biden.
GUTIERREZ: So if not President Biden, would you vote for former President Trump?
AJLOUNY: No.
GUTIERREZ: So who would you vote for?
AJLOUNY: I would write in on the ballot “ceasefire”. Free Palestine.
GUTIERREZ: Even though that could potentially give the election to former President Trump?
AJLOUNY: If things don't change, then I have no choice.
GUTIERREZ: In 2020, President Biden won Michigan by just 154,000 votes. Losing Arab-Americans or union members could cost him the state.
Today’s reporting is an undisclosed follow-up to NBC’s first panic report from Michigan, filed a month after Hamas’ barbaric Black Sabbath terrorist attack on October 7th. As we observed at the time:
As the ground war escalates in Gaza you can expect to see more pieces, both in print and on screen, about festering anti-Biden discontent in places such as Detroit, Dearborn, and Hamtramck.
Ring the alarm.
Alas, the ground war escalated in Gaza. And sure enough, Gabe Gutierrez is back in Michigan, asking the same questions of Arab-Americans angry at Biden over Gaza and rolling his eyes at the responses he is getting back- as in the case of the woman who indicated she’d write in “Ceasefire” or “Free Palestine” rather than voting for Biden or Trump.
But the panic is real, as evidenced by the inclusion of blue-collar union workers to The Coalition of Folks Biden Was Presumed To Have Had in The Bag But Doesn’t. Whatever Biden is doing in Michigan is clearly not satisfactory to NBC, who conjured up fancy license plate graphics in order to show Trump’s polling advantage.
As was the case with the previous report, and with comparable reports on ABC and CBS- the depicted truest, purest victim of both the economy and of Hamas’ barbarism always ends up being the electoral prospects of Joe Biden. With 9 months remaining until Election Day, expect many more such reports.
Click “expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned report as aired on NBC Nightly News on Thursday, February 1st, 2024:
LESTER HOLT: President Biden is in Battleground Michigan tonight, hoping to get more backing from auto workers, with new signs he is facing a very tight race there against Republican front-runner Donald Trump. Gabe Gutierrez has late details.
GABE GUTIERREZ: Just days after clinching a coveted endorsement from the United Auto Workers, president Biden back in Michigan tonight as the battle for this crucial swing state intensifies.
JOE BIDEN: We now have in large part, because of you and organized labor, the strongest economy in the whole damn world.
GUTIERREZ: Carpentry union worker Tracy Longenbarger credits Biden for bringing infrastructure jobs here.
TRACY LONGENBARGER: Joe Biden has kept us working, and he's labor friendly. And that's all I can ask for.
GUTIERREZ: But tonight, warning signs for the Biden campaign, including this new poll showing a potential head to head matchup here with GOP front-runner Donald Trump. Scott Mallenfort has been an auto worker for more than 20 years.
SCOTT MALLENFORT: I support Trump because I truly believe he does want what's best for the American worker.
GUTIERREZ: The former president is trying to peel off more of those blue collar voters, meeting with Teamsters leadership yesterday.
DONALD TRUMP: Over the years I have employed thousands and thousands of Teamsters, and they've done a great job.
GUTIERREZ: Another challenge for president Biden here? Cratering support for Michigan's huge Arab-American population, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.
SAMRAA LUQMAN: I think he is funding a genocide.
GUTIERREZ: The president today said he understood that pain and passion, but that's not enough for Lori-Kamleh Ajlouny in the Detroit suburbs.
How disappointed are you with the Biden administration?
LORI_KAMLEH AJLOUNY: I am heartbroken. I am so hurt that it's a feeling of betrayal.
GUTIERREZ: She voted for Mr. Biden in 2020. But now --
AJLOUNY: There is a widespread underground campaign of Arabs, of Muslims where we cannot morally support President Biden.
GUTIERREZ: So if not President Biden, would you vote for former President Trump?
AJLOUNY: No.
GUTIERREZ: So who would you vote for?
AJLOUNY: I would write in on the ballot “ceasefire”. Free Palestine.
GUTIERREZ: Even though that could potentially give the election to former President Trump?
AJLOUNY: If things don't change, then I have no choice.
GUTIERREZ: In 2020, President Biden won Michigan by just 154,000 votes. Losing Arab-Americans or union members could cost him the state. Lester.
HOLT: Gabe Gutierrez. Thank you.
