PHILADELPHIA — President Biden kicked off his reelection campaign Saturday by appearing alongside union members and arguing that his economic agenda deserves another four years.
To launch his run, the 80-year-old president reprised a liberal message crafted to appeal to blue-collar workers who have drifted away from the Democratic Party and the far-left activists who comprise the party’s base. He declared that it is time for the wealthy to “pay their fair share” of taxes.
Attending the event at the Pennsylvania Convention Center were unions representing roughly 18 million workers nationwide. It was also reminiscent of how Mr. Biden opened his 2020 presidential campaign, which began at a union hall in Pittsburgh.
The enthusiastic crowd frequently interrupted Mr. Biden’s remarks by chanting, “Let’s go, Joe!” and “We want Joe!”
The president’s choice of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania — and a friendly union audience — as his first official campaign stop underscored organized labor’s crucial role in his reelection effort. The city was the site of Mr. Biden’s 2020 campaign headquarters, and the state was one of a handful that returned to the Democratic Party after supporting Donald Trump in 2016.
Mr. Biden repeatedly hailed labor unions throughout his remarks. He said they were at the forefront of his economic plan.
“I truly believe this country is about to take off. The investments we made in the last three years have the power to transform the country for the next five decades, and guess who’s going to be at the center of that transformation. You,” Mr. Biden told the crowd.
He warned union members that House Republican efforts to roll back his investments in domestic manufacturing to support the clean energy transition would cost labor jobs.
“They are coming for your jobs. They are coming for your future and the future belonging to your kids and grandkids,” Mr. Biden said.
The president hopes that argument will counter the brand of economic populism that buoyed Mr. Trump with some rank-and-file union members during his first two presidential campaigns.
At this early juncture, the presidential race is heading toward a Biden-Trump rematch. Despite facing a slew of state and federal criminal charges, Mr. Trump is far and away the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
In his speech to the union crowd, Mr. Biden trumpeted economic gains on his watch. He said more than 13 million jobs, including nearly 800,000 manufacturing jobs, had been created since he took office.
“America can lead the world in manufacturing jobs again. Inflation is coming down. Today it is half of what it was one year ago,” Mr. Biden said.
While total employment increased, the nation’s unemployment rate ticked up to 3.7% in May, an unexpected increase from 3.4% in April.
Polls show most voters are giving Mr. Biden poor marks for his handling of the economy as inflation remains stubbornly high. Even though recent data shows inflation is easing, the annual rate is still higher than when Mr. Biden took office.
Inflation dropped to 4% in May compared with a year earlier, down sharply from a 9.1% peak last June. The inflation rate was 1.4% in January 2021, when Mr. Biden took office.
Despite Mr. Biden’s rosy picture of the economy, his record remains mixed.
The Federal Reserve raised benchmark interest rates by roughly 5 percentage points in 15 months, increasing the costs of borrowing and using credit. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell hinted that the Fed might raise interest rates again after pausing last week.
Although the inflation rate has eased, core inflation — a measure that strips out volatile gas and food prices — remains high. Core inflation rose 0.4% in May after steady monthly increases averaging 0.4% in 2023.
Core inflation remains up 5.3% from a year ago.
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel rejected Mr. Biden’s claims of economic gains.
“Under Joe Biden, Pennsylvanians’ savings are down, incomes are down, economic confidence is down, and criminal activity is up. His presence on the campaign trail will only remind voters that his failed agenda has caused suffering for American families.”
Ahead of the campaign rally, several of the nation’s most prominent unions, including the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Teachers, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, officially endorsed Mr. Biden’s campaign.
Upon his election, Mr. Biden vowed to be the “most pro-union president you’ve ever seen,” and his support for organized labor has been unwavering. He has signed bills incentivizing companies that use union employees.
“He has shown up for working people in so many ways,” Bill Scott of the Communications Workers of America said during the rally. “It has made a huge difference for me and my fellow CWA members.”
Mr. Scott cited Mr. Biden’s appointment of judges to the Labor Relations Board who gave companies incentives to hire union employees. Mr. Biden has won legislation requiring union employees to build semiconductors, infrastructure and other critical needs.
Not all unions have come out for Mr. Biden. The powerful United Auto Workers said last month that it had not decided whether to endorse the president. The union cited concerns about Mr. Biden’s push to transition to electric vehicles.
Elisabeth Messenger, the CEO of Americans for Fair Treatment, a union watchdog organization, slammed labor endorsements of Mr. Biden.
“AFL-CIO’s early endorsement of Biden is a glaring example of unions putting politics before members,” she said in a statement. “Workers lose when unions focus on politics instead of representing their members.”
Questions remain about Mr. Biden’s support among union members and blue-collar workers in general.
Clark Hamilton, a 63-year-old retiree and member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said Mr. Biden has embraced union values but sometimes “plays it like most politicians, in the middle.” He recalled that Mr. Biden urged Congress to help prevent a rail strike last year, which the president said could cripple commerce nationwide.
“That’s a shame,” Mr. Hamilton said. “But he was trying to save the economy.”
Still, Mr. Hamilton said he is confident that Biden’s record will secure him a second term, “especially if it’s against Trump.”
• This article is based in part on wire service reports.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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