Joe Biden’s campaign stop in Charleston, South Carolina didn’t go entirely according to plan. While Uncle Joe showed up prepared to lecture people about the evil mega MAGA Republicans and the threat that the Bad Orange Man poses to democracy, many in the audience had other ideas. No sooner had the President been introduced and began his speech, members of the audience broke into pro-Hamas, anti-Israel chants, demanding a “cease-fire now” and all of the other rhetoric we’ve grown used to hearing. Biden appeared flustered for a moment, probably because he’s used to having far friendlier audiences prepared for him in advance. In the end, the crowd forced Biden into what almost sounded like an apology for supporting Israel. (National Review)

Pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted Joe Biden’s campaign speech on Monday afternoon in Charleston, S.C., calling on the president to demand a cease-fire in Gaza, where the Israeli Defense Forces are continuing their offensive military campaign three months after Hamas’s brutal assault in Israel.

“I understand their passion,” Biden said from the podium in South Carolina, the first Democratic primary state in this year’s nominating calendar. “I’ve been quietly working with the Israeli government to get them to reduce and significantly get out of Gaza, using all that I can to do.”

Biden was trying to talk about the terrible shooting at the church where he was speaking in 2015 as part of his latest push for an “assault weapons” ban. But clearly, some of the attendees were having none of it. They were there to talk about Gaza and “the Palestinians” and to accuse Biden of genocide. Some of Biden’s more ardent supporters attempted to fend off the protest by chanting “Four more years,” but the situation remained chaotic for a bit.

"Ceasefire now!"

Protesters interrupt President Biden’s speech at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC.

The audience chants: "Four more years!"

President Biden: "I understand their passion. I've been quietly working with the Israeli government…" pic.twitter.com/Vq3U01UhjW

— CSPAN (@cspan) January 8, 2024

This event wouldn’t have been all that noteworthy were it not for that last admission by the President. We’ve been hearing leaks from aides for weeks now indicating that Joe Biden has been talking out of both sides of his face on the Gaza question. He’s been publicly supportive of Israel (to his credit) but we’re told that in private he has been trying to pressure Netanyahu to back down. This was the first time I recall hearing Biden publicly state that he’s been “quietly working with the Israeli government” in the background to push them to “get out of Gaza.”

The protesters are probably in for a significant disappointment. Israel will indeed “get out of Gaza,” but not until Hamas has been destroyed root and branch. Netanyahu has made that much clear from the beginning. And since Hamas stubbornly refuses to surrender and give up any remaining surviving hostages, this is clearly going to take a while. Everyone needs to be patient. The protesters are wasting their time because this isn’t Biden’s decision to make. Bibi Netanyahu is not Biden’s puppet and he will do what he believes in the best interests of his nation’s survival.

While we’re on the subject, it’s worth asking what Joe Biden is doing out on the campaign trail this week giving speeches about Trump and Republicans to begin with. We’re currently overseeing two wars and fending off attacks by Iranian-backed rebels. And we’re sometimes doing so without the benefit of a Secretary of Defense. Shouldn’t the President have bigger fish to fry right now? Who is running the shop back in Washington these days? If the military-industrial complex is capable of running completely on autopilot, why are we paying this guy? Just some food for thought.