President Biden delivered the commencement address at Morehouse College in Atlanta on Sunday, his first appearance on a college campus amid widespread unrest and anti-Israel protests.
Biden’s speech touched on everything from his history as vice president under President Obama to the war in Israel and campus protests.
Here are some of the most notable moments from Biden’s appearance.
racial accusations
Biden spoke at Morehouse, a historically black college, using the opportunity to specifically address black voters. He said students there had to be “ten times better than everyone else to get a fair chance” and that Republicans didn’t accept black people.
“They don’t see you in the future of America. But they’re wrong,” Biden said.
Biden calls for ceasefire in Gaza
President Biden delivered the commencement address at Morehouse College on Sunday, his first appearance on a college campus amid widespread unrest and anti-Israel protests.
Biden’s first newsworthy moment of the day came when a graduate gave his own speech. In his speech, the student called for an “immediate and permanent” ceasefire in Gaza. Behind him, Biden could be seen applauding the idea.
The moment was the first clue into the content of Biden’s speech, as he later explicitly called for an “immediate” ceasefire in Israel. He also recognized the two-state solution as “the only solution”.
Stefanik fires back at House Democrats condemning her: ‘Free fall of despair’
Biden revisits old, misleading Georgia election claims
President Biden receives honorary degree from Morehouse College.
At one point in his speech, Biden lashed out at Georgia’s election laws, repeating a misleading claim that bars voters from receiving food and water while waiting in line at polling places.
“Today in Georgia, when you’re standing in line to vote in the election, they’re not allowing you to get water. What the hell is going on?” Biden said.
Stefanik files ethics complaint against special counsel Jack Smith, accusing him of election interference
The line refers to a Georgia law that prohibits poll workers and others from actively distributing water or food to voters within 150 feet of a polling place. However, the law allows poll workers to provide self-serve water from unattended containers within 150 feet of the polling place.
The law has been a focus of Democratic criticism for years of recent Republican-led reforms to Georgia’s election laws.
Some students are turning their backs on Biden
As President Biden delivers the Morehouse College commencement address on May 19, 2024, in Atlanta, a Morehouse faculty member turns his back to the podium to protest Israel’s war with Hamas.
A handful of Morehouse College students and faculty turned their backs to Biden during his speech in protest of his speech.
The protest was not widespread, however, and participants did not disrupt his speech other than to show their backs. However, the small-scale protest was a reminder of the ongoing unrest on college campuses across the country, with anti-Israel protests forcing some universities to cancel graduation ceremonies altogether.
Before Biden spoke, some students urged the college to disinvite him. Hundreds of alumni also wrote a letter to the college saying Biden should not be the commencement speaker.
Click here to get the Fox News app
One student, DeAngelo Fletcher, told NPR, “I think it’s a little insulting that our star alumnus is Dr. King and yet Biden is going on a tirade about the Middle East. “It’s a little insulting to bring him here, especially in an election year…especially to get young black votes.”
