Biden spoke about the importance of education and opportunities for young Black men
President Joe Biden delivered the commencement address at Morehouse College on May 18, 2024
Some students were eager to engage with the President while others felt that his presence overshadowed their graduation day
Students debated whether to boycott or disrupt Biden's speech as a form of protest against his Israel policies
In a highly anticipated event, President Joe Biden delivered the commencement address at Morehouse College on May 18, 2024. The occasion was steeped in controversy and tension as students debated whether to boycott or disrupt Biden's speech as a form of protest against his Israel policies. Some students felt hesitant to let their feelings about the Biden administration overshadow their graduation milestone.
The presence of the President at the historically Black, all-male college was a significant moment, yet it was marred by security measures and commotion that drew attention away from the graduates' celebrations. Flyers circulated around campus encouraging students and faculty to avoid clapping for Biden during his speech and to turn their backs on him while he spoke.
Despite the protests and security concerns, Biden's speech focused on the importance of education and opportunities for young Black men. He emphasized the need for them to be involved in politics and make their voices heard. The President also touched upon his administration's achievements, such as the infrastructure bill and efforts to combat climate change.
While some students were eager to engage with the President, others felt that his presence overshadowed their graduation day. They expressed frustration over the security measures and commotion caused by Biden's arrival. Some seniors at Morehouse College even encouraged their peers to focus on themselves and not on the President during this important moment in their lives.
In conclusion, President Joe Biden's commencement speech at Morehouse College was a highly charged event that exposed the divisions among students and the broader community. While some saw it as an opportunity to engage with the President and hear his message, others viewed it as a chance to protest his policies and draw attention to their concerns.
Students have debated whether to boycott or disrupt Biden’s speech as a form of protest against his Israel policies.
Some students feel hesitant to let their feelings about the Biden administration overshadow their graduation milestone.
Accuracy
A few hundred seniors at Atlanta's Morehouse College are set to have their senior class photo just days before President Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver the commencement speech.
The announcement of Biden's participation led to threats of protests due to frustration over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Flyers have circulated around campus encouraging students and faculty to avoid clapping for Biden during his speech and to turn their back on him while he speaks.
Only three students watched the news on TV and none read actual newspapers. They get their information primarily from Apple News, Instagram, TikTok, and sources like the Guardian, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
A few hundred seniors at Atlanta’s Morehouse College are set to have their senior class photo just days before President Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver the commencement speech.
Many seniors express frustration over the security measures and commotion caused by the president’s arrival, stating that it draws attention away from their own celebrations.
Flyers have circulated around campus encouraging students and faculty to avoid clapping for Biden during his speech and to turn their back on him while he speaks.
Accuracy
The announcement of Biden’s participation led to threats of protests due to frustration over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
The White House has been making efforts to reach out to the students in preparation for potential protests that could reflect badly on the president, especially during an election year as he works to connect with young Black voters in the swing state.
Deception
(30%)
The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position of students wanting the focus on them instead of Biden. The author quotes students expressing their frustration over security measures and disruptions caused by Biden's visit, but does not mention any counterarguments or perspectives from those who support the president's attendance. Additionally, there is emotional manipulation through phrases like 'disrespectful to the student body' and 'political agenda', which are used to elicit an emotional response from readers without providing factual evidence.
All of it shows that the school is more concerned about leading its sort of political agenda before it is celebrating the students that make the school worth something
It's pretty disrespectful to the student body to take this ceremony that’s supposed to be celebrating them and reduce it to like a political campaign
Fallacies
(80%)
The author uses inflammatory rhetoric by quoting students expressing frustration and disrespect towards the president's visit to their graduation. However, no formal or informal fallacies are explicitly stated in the article.
"It's pretty disrespectful to the student body to take this ceremony that's supposed to be celebrating them and reduce it to like a political campaign,"
'Oh no, what is going to happen at this commencement other than us celebrating other students?'
Jamal Simmons, a longtime Democratic political and communications advisor, writes that young people at Morehouse College don’t know much about Joe Biden’s background or his Congressional career.
Students at Morehouse College were more familiar with the president’s son Beau Biden’s death from brain cancer in 2015, but barely knew about his first wife's tragic story.
Only three students watched the news on TV and none read actual newspapers. They get their information primarily from Apple News, Instagram, TikTok, and sources like the Guardian, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
Four out of seven students believed Biden was from a rich family. They knew nothing about his ties to Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Half of the students knew Biden was for marriage equality but only one knew he was for it before President Barack Obama.
The students were familiar with the president’s work on the 1994 crime bill and its impact on mass incarceration. However, none knew that the bill included the Violence Against Women Act and the federal assault weapons ban.
Students also knew little about Vice President Kamala Harris’ background, but referred to her as the ‘top cop’ and pointed to her prosecution record as San Francisco district attorney.
Terrance Woodbury, a renowned Democratic pollster, suggests that young people often only know negative information about Biden and Harris due to the algorithms serving up such news.
Jamal Simmons believes that Biden should use his commencement speech at Morehouse College to draw from his life before his presidency and add biographical layers in order to build trust with young Americans.
Accuracy
Students were more familiar with the president's son Beau Biden's death from brain cancer in 2015, but barely knew about his first wife's tragic story.
Deception
(30%)
The article is written by Jamal Simmons, a longtime Democratic political and communications advisor and CNN political commentator. He expresses his opinion about how young people at Morehouse College don't know much about Joe Biden's background or who he is as a person. The author uses selective reporting by focusing on the students' lack of knowledge about Biden, while not mentioning their concerns and priorities related to current issues such as the war in Gaza and antisemitism. He also makes editorializing statements like 'they don't know that much about Biden’s background, or his Congressional career.' This is a lie by omission as he fails to mention that the students were also concerned about these issues and wanted to speak truth to power. The author also uses emotional manipulation by implying that young people are not interested in what the president has to say due to their lack of knowledge about him, when in fact they have concerns and priorities.
He should use the occasion to draw from his life before his presidency. Adding those biographical layers – and showing them the man he is, rather than just the politician – is how Biden can build some trust.
The students I talked to were not ideological puritans, and they will still be interested in what the president has to say.
Fallacies
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(95%)
The author, Jamal Simmons, expresses a bias towards young people not knowing enough about President Biden's background and history. He implies that this lack of knowledge could negatively impact their perception of the president and their trust in him. The author also mentions the negative information young people are being fed about Biden and Vice President Harris, suggesting a bias against how young people are consuming news.
In the absence of their bios, a lot of young people only know the negative info they’re being fed about the president and vice president.
That’s what’s giving context to their terms in office.
They don’t know that much about Biden’s background, or his Congressional career.
