For Immediate Release
June 28, 2024
New Georgia Project Action Fund
Simran Jadavji, Strategic Communications Manager
[email protected], (646) 673-4191
Statement from New Georgia Project Action Fund CEO Following First Presidential Debate in Atlanta, GA
(Atlanta, GA) – New Georgia Project Action Fund CEO, Kendra Cotton, released the below statement following the first debate between President Joe Biden and Former President Donald Trump in Atlanta, which showed one candidate running on substance and one running on lies and deception.
“Last night’s presidential debate in Atlanta proved what we already know: Donald Trump is a liar and egomaniac ready to do whatever it takes to win, including deceiving the American people and disregarding their very real and very significant concerns. Even with President Biden’s lackluster performance, what he said was honest and reflective of the tremendous progress we’ve made over the past four years. Put that up against Trump’s narcissism, lies, and unveiled threats to our democracy, and the stakes of the November election become even more clear.
The truth is that both candidates before us are old. But Trump is a mere three years younger than Biden and evaded answering questions on everything from making childcare more affordable, to lowering everyday costs for Americans, to saving Social Security, to combatting the opioid crisis. He even refused to provide a direct answer on accepting the results of the 2024 presidential election, putting us at grave risk of another attempted coup and the further dismantling of our already fragile democracy.
The issues that the former president refused to discuss are the real and serious issues facing everyday Georgians and Black Georgians especially, and this man doesn’t respect American voters enough to even provide them with answers. It’s his job to earn our votes, and his performance last night indicates that he has no interest in even acknowledging and talking about our concerns, let alone doing anything about them.
The Black Georgians New Georgia Project Action Fund talks to every day tell us they want to hear what the President, who they helped elect to office, has done for them—and that’s exactly what Joe Biden did last night. He outlined the real progress his administration has made: The lowest Black unemployment rate in history. Canceling $153 billion in student loan debt. Capping insulin costs at $35 for Medicare recipients. A record $16 billion for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He provided substance, specifics, and solutions that will help Black Georgians and Black American make ends meet and thrive. Meanwhile, we’re still waiting for Donald Trump to answer most of the questions he was asked.
Today, I watched President Biden speak at a campaign rally in North Carolina. I saw a President who was strong and committed to his country. One shaky performance should not overshadow the tremendous progress he has made for our communities and the extreme threat Donald Trump poses to us, our loved ones, and our country.
Our work between now and November is clear: making sure that Georgia voters understand their power to determine the future of our country, just as we did in 2020. That means knocking millions of doors, having substantive conversations with voters, hearing their concerns and the solutions they want and need. And reminding them that they have an important choice to make this fall.”
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