He’s in an increasingly tenuous position.
President Biden made his first on-camera comments about the college campus protests yesterday, saying: “There’s the right to protest but not the right to cause chaos.” Here’s what that means.
Biden looks ahead to the presidential election
After days of silence, Biden attempted to strike a balance that didn’t alienate young progressives, but reassured moderates and right-wingers that the situation is under control. “I understand people have strong feelings and deep convictions,” he said. “We respect the right and protect the right for them to express that. But it doesn’t mean anything goes. It needs to be done without violence, without destruction, without hate, and within the law.”
Biden didn’t say anything substantively new regarding the White House’s position on the protests, instead stressing the need for calm, lawful action. “In moments like this, there are always those who rush in to score political points. But this isn’t a moment for politics. It’s a moment for clarity,” he said.
Though Biden was attempting to appeal to the majority of Americans who feel uncomfortable both about the protests and the prospect of a violent clampdown, he’s acutely aware of the danger of alienating young voters he sorely needs to clinch the election come November.
According to a recent CNN poll, 81% of voters under 35 disapprove of his handling of the Israel-Hamas war, an opinion that’s likely to sour further if Israel proceeds with its planned offensive in Rafah. Most recent polls put Trump slightly ahead of the president, meaning that even if young voters simply abstain, Trump could easily come out on top.
House Speaker Mike Johnson piles on the pressure
GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson denounced Biden’s reluctance to deploy the National Guard. “He has to be able or at least open to the idea,” Johnson told Axios.
He added that the House is gearing up to take firmer action to protect Jewish students and university property.
“We’re going to be working on the federal funding streams that go to these schools that are violating civil rights laws and violating the Constitution and I think the president needs to be leading on that,” he said.
More than 2,000 people arrested on college campuses nationwide
Meanwhile, the demonstrations on campuses nationwide are showing no signs of slowing, with more than 2,000 people arrested since April 18. At least 30 people have been arrested at Portland State University since yesterday, where law enforcement is trying to clear a library that’s been occupied since Monday.
Officers who made it into the building discovered improvised weapons, including hollow bamboo sticks, tools, paint balloons and spray bottles, Portland police Sgt. Kevin Allen said per CNN. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has stressed that those who’ve been taken into custody will be prosecuted.
“Criminal destruction and violence is not protest — it is criminal activity, plainly and simply,” he said.
Elsewhere, questions remain over how many protesters are students, and how many are outsiders. Over the last few days, the NYPD has cross-referenced the names of those arrested with university records. New York police and Mayor Eric Adams said yesterday that around 29% of the 112 people arrested at Columbia on Tuesday were “unaffiliated parties,” as were 60% of the 170 people arrested at City College of New York.
