Biden Calls Opponents “Domestic” Enemies, Claims He Was Arrested in Civil Rights Movement, Again Says “President Harris”

On 1/11/2022, President Biden and Vice President Harris traveled to Atlanta to call on the Senate to eliminate the filibuster in order to pass federal voting rights legislation. Biden told the mostly Black audience he had been arrested during the civil rights movement, again referred to Kamala Harris as “President Harris,” called Americans who opposed his election overhaul bills “domestic” enemies, and compared opponents to segregationists. Stacey Abrams notably skipped the event, with skeptics guessing she did not want to be seen alongside Biden given his low poll numbers.

”Seems Like Yesterday, the First Time I Got Arrested”

Biden told the Atlanta audience about his involvement in the civil rights movement in terms that have been repeatedly questioned by fact-checkers. “I did not walk in the shoes of generations of students who walk these grounds, but I walked other grounds because I’m so damn old I was there as well,” Biden said. “They think I’m kidding, man. Seems like yesterday, the first time I got arrested. Anyway.”

Biden has previously claimed at various times that he was arrested while marching in the civil rights movement and while visiting Nelson Mandela — claims that have been rated as false or unsubstantiated by multiple fact-checking organizations.

”President Harris” — Again

Biden again referred to Vice President Harris by the wrong title during his speech. “Last week, President Harris and I stood in the United States Capitol,” Biden said, using the same verbal slip he had made multiple times throughout his presidency.

Harris, for her part, called the Senate filibuster “arcane” — despite Democrats having used it 327 times in 2020 alone when they were in the minority.

Opponents as “Domestic” Enemies

In one of the most divisive passages of his presidency, Biden framed Americans who opposed his voting rights bills as enemies of democracy. “I know where I stand. I will not yield. I will not flinch. I will defend the right to vote — our democracy — against all enemies, foreign and, yes, domestic,” Biden said.

The language — equating political opponents with domestic enemies — drew sharp criticism from both Republicans and some Democrats. Biden also singled out Senate Republicans specifically: “I’ve never seen a circumstance where not a single Republican has a voice that’s ready to speak for justice now. Even Strom Thurmond came to support voting rights. But Republicans today can’t and won’t. Not a single Republican has displayed the courage to stand up to a defeated president to protect America’s right to vote. Not one.”

Filibuster Reversal Formalized

Biden made his most explicit call yet for changing Senate rules. “Today, I’m making it clear: to protect our democracy, I support changing the Senate rules,” Biden said. He argued the Constitution gave Congress the power to pass legislation and “nowhere does the Constitution give a minority the right to unilaterally block legislation.”

“We have no option but to change the Senate rules, including getting rid of the filibuster for this,” Biden said.

He acknowledged the difficulty of his 50-50 Senate. “We have 50-50 in the United States Senate. That means we have 51 presidents,” Biden said. “You all think I’m kidding. I’ve been pretty good at working with senators my career, but man, when you got 51 presidents, it gets harder.”

Stacey Abrams Skips the Event

Stacey Abrams, the Georgia voting rights activist and gubernatorial candidate, was notably absent from Biden’s Atlanta speech — an event described as “custom-made” for her. Biden insisted there was no issue. “I spoke with Stacey this morning. We have a great relationship. We got our scheduling mixed up,” Biden said.

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough offered a different assessment: “This is an event custom-made for Stacey Abrams. She obviously doesn’t want to be on the same stage as Joe Biden,” Scarborough said on “Morning Joe.” Analysts suggested Abrams was distancing herself from Biden’s low approval ratings ahead of her own gubernatorial campaign.

Democrats Confronted With 2017 Letter

Reporters asked Democratic senators about a 2017 letter signed by four of them opposing changes to the filibuster. “Quick answer is because this is about democracy, not about policy,” one senator responded, attempting to distinguish the current situation from their prior defense of the rules.

Key Takeaways

Biden told an Atlanta audience “seems like yesterday, the first time I got arrested” during the civil rights movement — a claim fact-checkers have found unsubstantiated.
He again called Harris “President Harris” and called opponents of his voting rights bills “domestic” enemies of democracy.
Biden formally called for changing Senate rules to eliminate the filibuster for voting rights, his most explicit reversal from his 2005 position.
Stacey Abrams skipped the event, with analysts suggesting she did not want to be seen alongside Biden given his low poll numbers.
Harris called the filibuster “arcane” despite Democrats having used it 327 times in 2020 when in the minority.

Transcript Highlights

The following is transcribed from the video audio (unverified — AI-generated from audio).

I walked other grounds because I’m so damn old I was there as well. Seems like yesterday, the first time I got arrested.
I will defend the right to vote, our democracy, against all enemies, foreign and yes, domestic.
Last week, President Harris and I stood in the United States Capitol.
Today, I’m making it clear: to protect our democracy, I support changing the Senate rules.
We have 50-50 in the United States Senate. That means we have 51 presidents.
I spoke with Stacey this morning. We have a great relationship. We got our scheduling mixed up.

Full transcript: 692 words transcribed via Whisper AI.