Biden Denounces Antisemitism in Holocaust Remembrance Speech

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.