Wednesday’s visit to Philadelphia by President Biden was an attempt to engage Black voters ahead of the upcoming 2024 election. During a rally for “Black Voters for Biden-Harris,” Biden promised to nominate progressive judges to the Supreme Court should he win a second term. This pledge was made in anticipation of potential retirements among the current justices within the next four years.
Biden emphasized the significance of the upcoming election for both conservative and progressive voters. Recent Supreme Court rulings on abortion and gun rights have highlighted the court’s critical role in shaping the nation’s legal landscape.
The President’s remarks reminded attendees of the advanced age of several Supreme Court justices. Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, both conservative appointees of Republican presidents, are currently 75 and 74 years old, respectively. Sonia Sotomayor, a progressive appointed by President Obama, will reach 70 next month.
The retirement of one or more justices would give the next president the opportunity to fill those vacancies and potentially reshape the court’s composition for decades to come. During his presidency, former President Trump appointed three conservative justices: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barret, solidifying the current conservative majority.
With the election just over six months away, the Biden campaign is sounding the alarm about the potential consequences of a Trump victory, as polls indicate a close race. First Lady Jill Biden has warned of disastrous results and a loss of human rights if Trump is re-elected in November.
The rhetoric employed by the Biden campaign mirrors Trump’s 2016 strategy following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Trump pledged to nominate a conservative who would overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision establishing constitutional protections for abortion. He even released a list of potential nominees for the position.
In 2020, Biden promised to appoint a Black woman to the Supreme Court if given the opportunity. He fulfilled this pledge after Justice Stephen Breyer retired at age 83, nominating Ketanji Brown Jackson to fill the vacancy.
Alexander Hall of Fox News contributed to this report.
