American singer and R&B artist John Legend criticised 2020 presidential hopeful Joe Biden on Twitter on Saturday, accusing him of trying to garner favour among media instead of voters.
Republicans play to win. Biden plays to impress a panel on Meet the Press and Morning Joe https://t.co/pT15kDxWqx
— John Legend (@johnlegend) July 6, 2019
Legend followed up with another tweet questioning Biden’s ability to win over the “elusive factory owner” to the Democratic side in Pittsburgh or Youngstown.
Everyone thinks Biden will win back the elusive factory worker in Pittsburgh or Youngstown. But there is literally no constituency in those places for "nothing will fundamentally change" and nominate Merrick to the supremes.
— John Legend (@johnlegend) July 6, 2019
The references to Pittsburgh and Youngstown are representations of traditional working class areas which the Democratic Party lost to Trump in 2016.
The singer's online comments were in response to a confirmation by Biden that he would reinstate Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court in an interview with Iowa Starting Line on Friday.
“Sure, I would,” Biden said, talking to Iowa Starting Line, describing Garland as “a first-rate person.”
The former vice president went on to say that the political “reality” during the Obama administration did not allow for the nomination of Garland and that they should have been “a heck of a lot harder on McConnell.”
The suggestion saw an intense reaction on Twitter.
Some users accused Biden of capitulating before he even became president.
Well of course he would. Merrick Garland was an Obama compromise to go conservative right to get past the republican blockade. So Biden is essentially compromising to the right before he even starts.
— Kidney stones ROCK! (@crackerjackhole) July 6, 2019
Others criticised the media for not attacking Biden's policies.
Just another one of those attacks on Biden from people who know that they can’t win a debate against him among Democratic primary voters about what they actually disagree on so they resort to nonsense.
— Michael Wear (@MichaelRWear) July 6, 2019
Garland is considered a centrist, an increasingly less palatable position given an increasingly progressive Democratic voter base.
