At long last, ABC World News Tonight weighs in on the “Uncommitted” vote in the Michigan Democratic primary, cast against President Biden over his handling of Israel’s war in Gaza. And, of course, the report was bathed in concern over the truest, purest victim of the war in Gaza: the electoral prospects of President Joe Biden.
Watch as ABC Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce hectors a local activist and organizer over her decision to refuse to vote for Biden, even if it means a second Trump term:
MARY BRUCE: Frustrated and furious, members of the state's large Arab and Muslim community are urging voters in today's Democratic primary to check the "Uncommitted" box in protest.
LEXI ZEIDAN: Biden has lost my vote.
BRUCE: Lexi Zeidan, who supported Biden in 2020, is now helping to organize this protest vote.
But you know where Donald Trump stands on these issues. If sitting out and not voting for Biden means that you may be helping Donald Trump get elected, is that a risk worth taking?
ZEIDAN: I mean, that's a question that I put back on the president. You know, I didn't get us to this point, Biden did. And it might come down to us experiencing short-term pain with Trump in office for long term gain, where we have to have a Democratic party that stands actually on its values.
BRUCE: Short term pain for long term gain. So, you're willing to sit out in November, even if it means Donald Trump wins to send Democrats a message?
ZEIDAN: Absolutely.
Twice Zeidan is hectored by an incredulous Mary Bruce, SHOCKED at the idea that people would vote their principles over a partisan outcome. After interviewing Zeidan, Bruce moves on to the mayor of Dearborn, who is equally resolute.
Before closing, Bruce finds a union member to say that the idea of the “Uncommitted” vote is stupid. In the interest of balance, you see. Not at all in the interest of doing crisis comms for a Biden campaign about to be embarrassed by an organic grassroots insurgency in a must-win state.
World News Tonight had, to this point, resisted doing anything on “Uncommitted” or Abandon Biden, and now we know why. They waited until the last minute in order to file the most sycophantic report.
As of this writing, “Uncommitted” stands at around 15% of the Democratic primary vote. All that apple polishing for naught.
Click “expand” to view full transcript of the aforementioned interview as aired on ABC World News Tonight on Tuesday, February 27th, 2024:
DAVID MUIR: We turn to the other news tonight, now to the race for the White House. This evening, the primary in the battleground state of Michigan, and the test for President Biden. The potential protest vote from people angry over his response to Israel's continuing military operation in Gaza. The voters say they want to send a message. The question tonight, how big will that protest vote be? And what Michigan's popular governor, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer, says about voters who want someone other than Joe Biden to run for the Democrats. Mary Bruce in Michigan tonight.
MARY BRUCE: Tonight, a major test for President Biden in the critical state of Michigan, a key battleground this November. Biden expected to win today's primary, but not without a significant protest vote over his handling of Israel's war in Gaza.
PROTESTERS: Biden, Biden, you can't hide.
MARY BRUCE: Frustrated and furious, members of the state's large Arab and Muslim community are urging voters in today's Democratic primary to check the "Uncommitted" box in protest.
LEXI ZEIDAN: Biden has lost my vote.
BRUCE: Lexi Zeidan, who supported Biden in 2020, is now helping to organize this protest vote.
But you know where Donald Trump stands on these issues. If sitting out and not voting for Biden means that you may be helping Donald Trump get elected, is that a risk worth taking?
ZEIDAN: I mean, that's a question that I put back on the president. You know, I didn't get us to this point, Biden did. And it might come down to us experiencing short-term pain with Trump in office for long term gain, where we have to have a Democratic party that stands actually on its values.
BRUCE: Short term pain for long term gain. So, you're willing to sit out in November, even if it means Donald Trump wins to send Democrats a message?
ZEIDAN: Absolutely.
BRUCE: They're demanding Biden push Israel for an enduring cease-fire. The president says he's hopeful they are close to a temporary deal.
JOE BIDEN: We're close. It's not done yet. And my hope is, by next Monday, we'll have a cease-fire.
MARY BRUCE: Arab and Muslim American voters helped deliver this state to Biden in 2020, when he won by just 154,000 votes. But that support now in doubt. In Dearborn, Michigan, the city's first Arab American mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, tells me this is deeply personal for his community.
ABDULLAH HAMMOUD: When I have a resident who walks up, who talks about 80 innocent family members in the current war in Gaza, what is my response to him? “Well, it could have been worse.” That is an insufficient response.
BRUCE: What is the message you guys are hoping to send to the president today?
HAMMOUD: I think the message is the president has not earned our votes.
BRUCE: But Michigan's governor is urging Democrats to get behind Biden, even if they'd prefer a younger candidate.
GRETCHEN WHITMER: I would say, the train's out of the station. Get onboard.
BRUCE: And today, other Democrats we spoke with, like union worker Rory Gill, worry the protest votes will just boost Trump's chances in November.
What do you make of this “Uncommitted” movement that we're seeing here?
RORY GILL: I think it's stupid. I think it's going to hurt. It's going to hurt the Democratic Party.
BRUCE: Now, President Biden is expected to win here tonight. The question now, how big will this protest vote be, and what could it mean for November? There is also, of course, a Republican primary here tonight, Donald Trump is again expected to cruise to victory over Nikki Haley, though she is promising to stay in the race through Super Tuesday. David?
MUIR: Every four years, a lot of eyes on Michigan. This is no different. Mary Bruce for us there in Michigan. Mary Bruce, thank you.
