Biden and the White House still having a tough time engaging Muslim and Arab American leaders over Gaza
CNN
A contentious meeting at the White House on Tuesday was the latest warning sign to President Joe Biden, his administration and his campaign from key parts of the coalition that elected him in 2020.
A contentious meeting at the White House on Tuesday was the latest warning sign to President Joe Biden, his administration and his campaign from key parts of the coalition that elected him in 2020. Biden hosted several Muslim leaders at the White House to discuss Gaza, which was upended after the meeting’s sole Palestinian American participant – Dr. Thaer Ahmad, who has traveled to Gaza to treat wounded civilians – walked out in protest after handing Biden a letter from an 8-year-old orphan girl living in Rafah. That act of protest was the latest in a string of slights from Muslim community leaders to White House and Biden campaign officials as they try to engage with Muslim American, Arab American and progressive voters over the war in Gaza. White House officials have held several meeting with prominent Arab Americans across the country since October 7, but some of the invited participants have declined to attend, often making their rejection known in open letters and press interviews. Other attendees have reported being outraged after some of the meetings included only officials from Biden’s campaign, instead of policy- and decision- makers in the White House. Several of Biden’s campaign and official events have also been interrupted by protesters demanding a ceasefire, most notably an abortion-rights rally in Virginia that was interrupted more than a dozen times in January. When asked Wednesday about snubs from people invited to meet with the White House, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “I can’t speak to individuals who want to attend, who don’t want to attend. That’s for them to speak to. The president … and his administration, senior officials, is going to have these conversations. We’re going to continue to listen to the community. That’s what a president does and that’s what this president will continue to do.”
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