The war in the Gaza Strip is putting Joe Biden under increasing pressure at home. Many party members criticize the “one-sided attitude” in the decades-long conflict, as a senior Foreign Ministry official recently said in a statement on his resignation. Now the National Council of Muslim Democrats has issued an “ultimatum” to the US president.
In their open letter a few days ago, the members threatened: if there is no ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in the coming days, Biden will lose numerous votes to the Muslim Democrats in next year’s presidential elections. The specified deadline has passed – without success.
Some may dismiss the ultimatum letter as a provocation from a fairly small party organization. But he is an example of a larger problem: in the conflict in the Middle East, Biden is under increasing pressure from several sides and finds himself in a political dilemma that could be dangerous for him ahead of the elections a year away .
Hearing of the US Secretary of State, accompanied by protests
Because it is simmering everywhere: among Democrats in the party, in Congress, in government, in social groups, among political donors, and especially among voters. Last weekend, tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets of Washington demanding a ceasefire. A few days earlier, demonstrators repeatedly interrupted a Senate hearing with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. They also called for a ceasefire and chanted that the American people are unwilling to fund Israel’s brutal war (see tweet below).
Officials in Biden’s administration are now organizing to express their opposition to the president’s line in internal letters. Government officials say behind closed doors that they have difficulty with Biden’s course. A senior State Department official publicly resigned, declaring that he could no longer support the “blind support of one side.” A junior State Department employee made headlines when she publicly accused Biden on the X Platform (formerly Twitter) of complicity in a “genocide” against the Palestinians.
Muslim voters and swing states
It is estimated that there are approximately 3.5 million Muslims living in the United States – that is only about one percent of the population. But thanks to the American electoral system, the presidential elections of early November 2024 in some states could again be decided with relatively few votes. In such swing states, which are highly competitive between Democrats and Republicans, Biden cannot afford to alienate individual groups of voters.
On the other hand, some Jewish voters who want full American support may feel repelled by Democrats’ internal divisions over the Gaza war. In short: Biden can please virtually no one in terms of domestic policy.
Democrats doubt their chances of winning the election
Biden’s situation was not easy before the Gaza war. The oldest American president of all time, who will soon be 81, has been struggling with poor popularity ratings and concerns about his old age for some time. Even among fellow party members, there is a lack of enthusiasm for his re-election campaign — and no one within the Democratic Party seems particularly confident that Biden can win the November 2024 election. The escalation in the Middle East has made his situation considerably more difficult.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
