President Biden addressed a conference for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) in Washington, D.C., on Friday, appealing to union workers by contrasting his upbringing with that of former President Trump.
Biden highlighted the differences in their experiences, emphasizing that Trump inherited his wealth, whereas Biden came from a working-class background. He noted that Trump started his business ventures with his father’s $1 million loan and received hundreds of millions of dollars from him over time.
Biden criticized Trump’s attitude towards wealth and taxes, saying that some people learn that inheriting wealth is the best way to get rich and that paying taxes is only for working people, not the super wealthy.
Biden (Credits: Politico)
He also referenced Trump’s reality show “The Apprentice,” where he would famously fire contestants, saying that in working-class towns like Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, being told you’re fired is a devastating nightmare for families, not entertainment.
Biden continued to contrast his roots in Scranton and Claymont with Trump’s luxurious lifestyle at Mar-a-Lago, emphasizing that he sees the economy through the eyes of working people, not through the eyes of the wealthy elite.
He highlighted the importance of honesty, decency, hard work, and faith, which he believes are represented by working people like the union workers he was addressing.
Joe Biden (Credits: MLive.com)
Biden has been working to rebuild the coalition that brought him to the White House in 2020, with a focus on union workers. In 2016, union households started shifting from blue to red, leading to Trump’s victory in states like Michigan, which Biden then won in 2020.
Biden often says he’s the most pro-union president in history, and he made history last year when he joined a picket line to strike with auto workers. Biden hopes to build a strong coalition for his reelection bid by appealing to union workers and emphasizing his working-class roots.
