Vice President Harris Rallies Black Democrats at Essence Festival: November 2024 Elections as the 'Most Significant' Choice

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA United States of America
Attendees engaged in debates about future of their party and country with some expressing concerns about potential Harris nomination due to possible sexism and racism
Black leaders and voters expressed continued support for Biden but emphasized the importance of elevating Harris as a potential successor if Biden steps aside
Harris framed the November 2024 elections as 'the most significant election of our lifetime' without mentioning Biden by name
Harris rallied support for President Joe Biden's reelection bid and discussed potential dangers of a second Trump term
Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the Essence Festival in New Orleans on July 6, 2024
Vice President Harris Rallies Black Democrats at Essence Festival: November 2024 Elections as the 'Most Significant' Choice

In the lead-up to the November 2024 elections, Vice President Kamala Harris addressed a gathering of Black Democrats at the Essence Festival in New Orleans. The event, which attracts thousands of attendees every year, served as an opportunity for Harris to rally support for President Joe Biden's reelection bid and discuss the importance of preventing another Donald Trump presidency. Despite growing concerns over Biden's mental fitness and campaign performance, Harris did not acknowledge these issues during her speech. Instead, she focused on the potential dangers of a second Trump term.

Black leaders and voters expressed their continued support for Biden but also emphasized the importance of elevating Harris as a potential successor if Biden were to step aside. Antjuan Seawright, a Black Democratic consultant, argued that pressure on Biden to do so was coming primarily from white Democrats. The Democratic party's best option, according to Seawright and others, would be to promote Harris as the nominee rather than considering other white governors like Gavin Newsom of California or Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaking at the Essence Festival in New Orleans on July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

In her speech, Harris framed the choice in November as 'the most significant election of our lifetime.' She did not mention Biden by name except when discussing student loan debt relief. Instead, she focused on attacking Trump's intentions and past actions.

Some attendees expressed concerns about a potential Harris nomination due to possible sexism and racism she might face. However, many others were hopeful that if Biden were to step aside, Harris would become the Democratic nominee.

The Essence Festival has long been an important platform for Black voices and political discussions. This year's event was no exception as attendees engaged in passionate debates about the future of their party and the country.


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Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • Growing concerns over President Joe Biden's mental fitness and campaign performance were not addressed in Harris' speech
  • It is unclear if there is actual pressure on Biden to step aside from white Democrats as suggested by Antjuan Seawright

Sources

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Harris puts focus on beating Trump, not concerns over Biden, as she tries to appeal to Black voters

CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Ebony Davis, Sunday, 07 July 2024 02:58
  • Unique Points
    • Vice President Kamala Harris put the focus on the dangers of a second Trump administration during her speech at the Essence Festival in New Orleans.
    • Harris claimed that Trump has expressed his intention to be a dictator if reelected.
    • Some Democrats have called for Biden to closely examine his reelection bid due to concerns over his mental fitness and campaign performance.
    • Biden remains defiant about stepping aside as the Democratic nominee, with some Republicans hoping for a Harris candidacy as they believe it would make Trump’s path back to the White House easier.
  • Accuracy
    • ] Vice President Kamala Harris put the focus on the dangers of a second Trump administration during her speech at the Essence Festival in New Orleans.[
    • Black leaders and voters at the event walked the line between backing Biden and insisting that, if he does end his campaign, the party should elevate Harris rather than consider governors like Gavin Newsom of California or Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (90%)
    The authors make several statements about the intentions and actions of former President Trump without providing any evidence. This is an appeal to emotion and a hasty generalization, as they are assuming that Trump's past behavior indicates his future intentions. However, this does not constitute a formal logical fallacy as it is an informal one. The authors also use inflammatory rhetoric by describing Trump's potential re-election as 'the most significant election of our lifetime' and stating that he has 'openly expressed his intention to be a dictator on Day 1'. This is an attempt to elicit strong emotions from the reader and can be considered inflammatory rhetoric. No formal fallacies were found.
    • The most significant election of our lifetime
    • This is probably the most significant election of our lifetime
    • former President Donald Trump has openly expressed his intention to be a dictator on Day 1 if reelected
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

At Essence, Black Democrats rally behind Biden and talk up Kamala Harris

The Associated Press News Sunday, 07 July 2024 00:44
  • Unique Points
    • Vice President Kamala Harris led a parade of Black Democrats who warned that the threat of another Donald Trump presidency remains the most important calculation ahead of November’s election.
    • Harris did not acknowledge Biden’s dismal debate performance or calls for him to end his reelection bid, despite being on stage at the Essence Festival.
    • Black leaders and voters expressed their support for Biden but also insisted that if he does step aside, the Democratic party should elevate Harris rather than consider other white governors.
    • Antjuan Seawright argued that pressure on Biden to step aside is coming only from white Democrats and that elevating Harris would be the best option for the party.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

93%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Vice President Harris takes the stage at Essence Festival, only mentions Biden once

ABC NEWS SITE NAMES Name: ABC News Site Names URL: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-officially-blames-iran_106834435 ABC News Sunday, 07 July 2024 09:18
  • Unique Points
    • Vice President Kamala Harris visited New Orleans to speak at the Essence Festival about the stakes of the 2024 election.
    • Former President Donald Trump attacked over his criminal convictions (34 felonies).
  • Accuracy
    • Harris mostly ignored criticisms of President Joe Biden’s debate performance and interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos.
    • President Biden mentioned only once by Harris while discussing debt relief.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority by quoting Rep. Joyce Beatty's defense of President Biden and her statement about Mitch McConnell. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by stating 'mounting calls for President Joe Biden to step down permeate through the Democratic party' and 'mostly ignored the criticisms the president has faced over the past week since his highly criticized debate performance and interview with ABC News'.
    • The majority of Black voters ABC News spoke with at the festival agreed with Gilbert. Should Biden step down, they are more than ready for Harris to step up.
    • But while many acknowledged that while Harris is ready to take the job, America might not be ready to accept a Black woman as president.
    • In a potential matchup between Harris and Trump, they were nearly tied with 42% supporting her and 43%, supporting the former president.
  • Bias (95%)
    The author of the article only mentions Biden once in passing and focuses on attacking Trump instead. The author also quotes several panelists defending Biden without directly stating their support for him. This demonstrates a clear bias towards attacking Biden's opponents rather than providing a fair and unbiased analysis.
    • Harris did little to bolster or defend the president, she in fact only mentioned Biden one time while referencing debt relief and instead, opted to attack former President Donald Trump over his 34 convictions.
      • Most of the defense for the president came from the panelists who took the stage before Harris, which included Rep. Maxine Waters and former Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Joyce Beatty.
        • The author mostly ignored the criticisms the president has faced over the past week since his highly criticized debate performance and interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos.
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        88%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Harris makes case to Black women, escaping questions on Biden at Essence Fest

        The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Dylan Wells Sunday, 07 July 2024 00:46
        • Unique Points
          • Vice President Kamala Harris focused on the stakes of the election in remarks at the 30th annual Essence Festival of Culture.
          • Harris framed the choice in November as ‘the most significant election of our lifetime.’
          • Members of the Congressional Black Caucus pledged loyalty to Biden while lavishing praise on Harris.
          • Rep. Maxine Waters stated that ‘No matter what anybody said, it ain’t going to be no other Democratic candidate. It’s going to be Biden.’
          • Harris has been steadfast in her support and loyalty to Biden amidst speculation about her political future if he were to step aside.
          • Many Black women at the Essence Festival expressed hope that if Biden were to step aside, Harris would become the nominee.
          • Some attendees expressed concerns about a potential Harris nomination, citing possible sexism and racism she might face.
        • Accuracy
          • Harris did not acknowledge Biden’s dismal debate performance or calls for him to end his reelection bid in her speech.
          • Black leaders and voters walked the line between backing Biden and insisting that, if he does end his campaign, the party should elevate Harris rather than consider other governors.
        • Deception (50%)
          The article does not disclose any sources and focuses on the absence of questions about Biden during Harris' speech at Essence Fest. The author makes no assertions beyond reporting that some Democratic members of Congress and strategists have pressed for Biden to end his reelection bid, but does not provide any evidence or quotes from these individuals. The article also reports on Harris' support for Biden and her loyalty to him, as well as speculation about her political future if Biden were to step aside. While the author does mention some attendees expressing a preference for Harris as the nominee, there is no editorializing or pontification from the author regarding this preference. However, there are instances of selective reporting and sensationalism in the article, such as focusing on Harris' age and her comments about Trump's intentions if re-elected. The article also implies that Biden's appeal to Black voters has weakened without providing any evidence or quotes from Black voters to support this claim.
          • Many Black women here at the four-day event said that if Biden were to step aside, their hope is that Harris would become the nominee...But some said they would still like to see a primary if Biden were to suspend his bid...
          • With all eyes on Kamala D. Harris amid turmoil in the Democratic Party, the vice president focused squarely on the stakes of the election in remarks Saturday at one of the largest annual gatherings of Black women...During a roughly 25-minute-long conversation, Harris was not asked by the moderator about the debate over Biden's reelection bid...
        • Fallacies (95%)
          There are no formal fallacies present in the article. The author reports on Vice President Harris's speech at Essence Fest without injecting their own opinions or making inflammatory statements. There is a neutral tone throughout the piece and no appeals to authority or dichotomous depictions are made. However, there are some instances of reporting on statements made by others that could be considered informal fallacies, but as per the analysis rules, these quotes are not counted as fallacies.
          • With all eyes on Kamala D. Harris amid turmoil in the Democratic Party...
          • At a panel earlier in the day, members of the Congressional Black Caucus pledged loyalty to Biden while lavishing praise on Harris...
          • Harris has been steadfast in her support and loyalty to Biden in the tumultuous week since the debate, but that hasn’t stopped speculation about her political future if the president decides to step aside.
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        97%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        At Essence, Black Democrats rally behind Biden and talk up Kamala Harris

        ABC NEWS SITE NAMES Name: ABC News Site Names URL: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-officially-blames-iran_106834435 ABC News Sunday, 07 July 2024 09:23
        • Unique Points
          • Vice President Kamala Harris led a parade of Black Democrats who warned that the threat of another Donald Trump presidency remains the most important calculation ahead of November’s election.
          • Black leaders and voters expressed their support for Biden but also insisted that if he does step aside, the Democratic party should elevate Harris rather than consider other white governors like Gavin Newsom of California or Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.
          • Antjuan Seawright, a Black Democratic consultant, argued that pressure on Biden to step aside is coming only from white Democrats and that elevating Harris would be the best option for the party.
        • Accuracy
          No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (85%)
          The article contains a few instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority. Vice President Harris's statement about the threat of another Trump presidency is inflammatory as it pushes fear towards the idea of a Trump return. Additionally, there are several appeals to authority in the form of quotes from various politicians and political figures that do not themselves constitute fallacies but report on differing opinions within the Democratic party.
          • Yet in more than 20 minutes on stage at the Essence Festival of Culture, Harris did not acknowledge Biden’s dismal debate performance or calls for the 81-year-old president to end his reelection bid. In fact, she barely mentioned Biden at all – a stark contrast to the Congressional Black Caucus members who forcefully and repeatedly defended the president by name.
          • Antjuan Seawright, a Black Democratic consultant who is close to House Rep. Jim Clyburn, a Biden ally, put it more plainly. “Joe Biden isn’t going anywhere,” he said. But if he does, “anyone other than Kamala would be malpractice — and it would tear the party apart.”
          • Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., and her colleagues echoed some of those sentiments.
          • Star Robert, a 37-year-old nurse in New York City, said if there’s a shift, then Biden and Democrats could not credibly choose anyone other than Harris, given that the president, party and voters already chose her as second-in-line.
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication