Rev. Al Sharpton says Biden was 'noncommittal' about filibuster reform: 'We're still working on our position'

Speed Reads

the filibuster fight

Rev. Al Sharpton says Biden was 'noncommittal' about filibuster reform: 'We're still working on our position'

July 13, 2021

.polaris__post-meta--date { display: none; } .polaris__post-meta--date.no-script { display: block; padding-left: 45px } July 13, 2021

President Biden gave on Tuesday perhaps his most impassioned voting rights speech yet, in which he vehemently decried former President Donald Trump's efforts to undermine the 2020 election and reaffirmed his commitment to "vigorously" challenging the "21st century Jim Crow assault" happening in GOP-led states across the country, The Washington Post reports.

But many, like civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton, have been quick to note that Biden's comments — while forceful — neglected to address the filibuster, the 60-vote Senate majority required to pass a bulk of legislation, including bills pertaining to voting rights. Without reforming the filibuster, Biden's renewed civil rights commitment stands hardly a chance in Congress, writes Vice News.

Rev. Al Sharpton spoke to President Biden after the speech:“I said to him I thought it was a good speech. I was very happy to hear him bring up race. But we’re still waiting on the filibuster”“He told me: ‘We’re still working on our position on that.’ He was noncommittal” pic.twitter.com/m6wtob9EML
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) July 13, 2021

@AJentleson: “There is a wide gap between Biden’s rhetoric & his leadership. In his speech, he described the assault on our democracy as an existential threat, yet he refused to endorse the obvious solution: pass voting rights legislation and reform the filibuster to do so.”
— Heather McGhee (@hmcghee) July 13, 2021

President Biden just delivered his most forceful denunciation yet of GOP efforts to restrict voting rights.But he made no mention of altering the filibuster, without which a federal legislative solutions seems impossible
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) July 13, 2021

On the other hand, however, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) argued to the Post's Greg Sargent that Biden's failure to mention the filibuster "needn't preclude action" — "by instructing Congress to [address voting rights] with great urgency, Biden is in effect telling the Senate Democratic caucus that they must find a way no matter what," Sargent writes, paraphrasing Merkley.

In any event, the president may be done "filibustering" for the day, but he should expect all eyes to be on voting rights and filibuster reform going forward.

It's complicated to be a skeptic but not a nihilist, & hopeful but not a sucker. Harder to tweet succinctly.Anyway, I think S1+filibuster is a live fight. I think Biden's speech had good wind up but no follow through. And I think politicians move when pushed. So keep pushing.
— EzrAhhhh! Levin (@ezralevin) July 13, 2021