Headline RoundupJanuary 14th, 2022

Was Biden's Voting Speech Praiseworthy or Too Partisan?

Summary from the AllSides News Team

President Joe Biden's voting reforms speech divided the political spectrum this week.

Biden spoke Tuesday in Georgia about reforming the Senate filibuster and advancing new voting laws. He challenged listeners to stand "against voter suppression" and asked if they'd rather be "on the side of Abraham Lincoln or Jefferson Davis?" House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) praised the speech as "fabulous," and the White House press corps dismissed criticism of it. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Biden's rhetoric "went a little too far." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Biden's speech was "incoherent, incorrect and beneath his office." Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Az.) announced Thursday that she won't support filibuster reform, casting doubt on Biden's election reform agenda.

Right-rated voices were critical of the speech, accusing Biden of political hypocrisy and race-baiting for invoking the names of Confederate leaders. Some highlighted Durbin's comments; others offered fact-checks of Biden's false and misleading comments during the speech, or alleged that Biden is ignoring bipartisan election reform efforts. Some left-rated voices celebrated the speech while speculating about how it may fall short. One Washington Post writer accused Republicans of a "nationwide assault on voting" and said Biden was "eloquent and passionate." Writer Charles Blow (Lean Left bias) labeled Republicans the "real villains" for "restricting ballot access and reducing the voting power of people," but said if the voting reforms fail, "many in the Black community will feel like they have been stabbed in the back."

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