President Joe Biden half-joked that he was “insulted” when a reporter asked him about Stacey Abrams “skipping” his major voting rights speech in Atlanta.
The president spoke to reporters as he departed the White House shortly before he and Vice President Kamala Harris were to speak at the Atlanta University Center Consortium on the grounds of Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia in support of the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
In those exchanges, the president mock-bristled at a question about Abrams, who cited a scheduling conflict in declining to attend, and responded to another question about the political “risk” of taking a strong stand on voting rights should the effort fail:
Q Good morning, sir. Quick question on voting: Any thoughts on Stacey Abrams skipping your speech today, sir? Are you insulted she is skipping the speech?THE PRESIDENT: I’m insulted you asked the question. (Laughs.) I spoke with Stacey this morning. We have a great relationship. We got our scheduling mixed up. I’m going to be — I talked with her at length this morning. We’re all on the same page and everything is fine.Q What do you risk, sir, by putting so much on the line for voting rights when you know the state of the Senate?THE PRESIDENT: Say that, again, please?Q What do you risk politically, sir, when you know the state
of the Senate?THE PRESIDENT: I risk not saying what I believe. That’s what I risk.This is one of those defining moments. It really is. People are going to be judged — where were they before and where were they after the vote. History is going to judge it; it’s that consequential. And so, the risk is: making sure people understand just how important this is — just how important this is.
Biden’s speech comes as voting rights activists have been pressuring Biden to do more, some of whom sent a letter telling him not to come to Georgia unless he has a plan of action.
Watch above via C-SPAN.