Biden Denounces Antisemitism in Holocaust Remembrance Speech
Summary from the AllSides News Team
President Joe Biden condemned antisemitism in a keynote address at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Days of Remembrance ceremony on Tuesday.
Key Quotes: Speaking at the U.S. Capitol, Biden emphasized the importance of not forgetting the Holocaust, saying, “We’re at risk of people not knowing the truth.” While Biden recognized that “people have strong beliefs and deep convictions about the world and America,” he said, “there is no place on any campus in America, any place in America, for antisemitism or hate speech or threats of violence of any kind.”
Bipartisan House Leadership: Both House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) spoke at the event before President Biden. Johnson pledged “unequivocal support to the nation of Israel,” and Jeffries warned of a “deeply disturbing rise in antisemitism on campuses.”
How the Media Covered It: Some mainstream right-rated outlets initially appeared to downplay Biden’s speech. For instance, while the New York Post (Lean Right bias) featured an editorial saying “Biden betrays Israel” over a ceasefire deal, it did not appear to cover Biden’s antisemitism speech in the hour after it occurred. On the other hand, live coverage was common in mainstream center and left-rated outlets; the story was the top headline on CNN’s (Lean Left bias) homepage in the hour after the speech.
Why the Difference: Conservatives who oppose Biden have generally cast him as too critical or unsupportive of Israel. However, Biden’s condemnation of antisemitism does not fit into this narrative, so news outlets catering to conservative audiences have less incentive to highlight it.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Center
Biden condemns antisemitism at Holocaust remembranceU.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday warned that the threat of antisemitism is growing, in remarks honoring the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust, as his support for Israel's assault on Gaza divides his Democratic Party.
"Never again simply translated for me means: Never forget. Never forgetting means we must keep telling the story, we must keep teaching the truth," Biden said as he addressed a bipartisan memorial held at the U.S. Capitol's Emancipation Hall. "The truth is we're at risk of people not knowing the truth."
Biden spoke...
From the Right
Biden, at Holocaust remembrance ceremony, says hatred against Jews brought to life by Hamas attackPresident Biden said Tuesday that the hatred of Jews "continues to lie deep in the hearts of too many people in the world" while delivering the keynote address at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's annual Days of Remembrance ceremony.
The president spoke in Washington, D.C. as anti-Israel protests have been disrupting college campuses around the country.
"That hatred is brought to life on October 7th, in 2023, on a sacred Jewish holiday," Biden said. "The terrorist group Hamas unleashed the deadliest day of the Jewish people since the Holocaust."
"Now, here we are,...
From the Left
Biden delivers major speech on antisemitism at Holocaust remembrance ceremonyPresident Joe Biden delivered a major speech denouncing antisemitism on Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol.
The remarks are part of a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum ceremony marking the Days of Remembrance to honor the memory of the six million Jews killed during the Holocaust as well as other victims of Nazi persecution.
"He will speak to the horrors of Oct. 7 when Hamas unleashed the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday. "And he will speak to how since Oct. 7, we've seen...
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