As Biden makes appeal to Black voters, they share differing views on his 2024 campaign
In his first visit to an early voting state this year, President Joe Biden on Monday made an appeal to Black voters at the historic Mother Emanuel AME Church, where nine Black Americans were murdered by a white supremacist in a 2015 mass shooting.
Biden condemned "white supremacy" as a "poison" that continues to haunt the nation, echoing what is already becoming a key theme challenging extremism as he ramps up his reelection campaign.
But some Black voters -- a group who has been key to Biden's success so far -- told ABC News afterward they have differing views on the president's track record and whether they will vote for him in November.
"Poison has for too long haunted this nation. What is that poison? White supremacy," Biden said in his speech. "Throughout our history, it's ripped this nation apart. It has no place in America. Not today, tomorrow or ever."
Sitting right next to the president was South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, whose endorsement in 2020 was seen as influential in helping Biden win the state's Democratic primary, the first major win for him on his road to the White House.
Prior to Biden's speech, Clyburn notably took to the podium to tout what he called the Biden administration's accomplishments on kitchen table issues, seeking to rally the crowd of largely Black voters before the president hopped on stage by explaining what Biden has achieved and what's prevented him from achieving more.
In attendance at the president's speech were survivors and the families of the victims of the 2015 mass shooting. Jean Ortiz, one of those survivors, later called Biden's remarks "outstanding."
Tamara Curry, who said she has a diabetic family member who has been directly impacted by the Affordable Care Act, implemented when Biden was vice president, found it "invigorating" to hear the administration's accomplishments because "we always hear about what has not been done."
Curry told ABC News that she felt the Biden administration passed as many of their promises as they could but "four more years will give them an opportunity to fulfill more of those promises."
While the Biden campaign has been brushing off polls that show a drop in approval from Black voters, some of those same voters said they were split on their views of Biden, rival Donald Trump and the 2024 race.
Largely, they said, it's too early for them to have made up their minds on who they'll vote for.
Jennifer James said Biden has done a "pretty awesome job" but that she's also felt the sharp increase in inflation since his presidency began.
"We should all be able to afford groceries, we should be able to afford housing," James said. "Now if he can address that issue and get it resolved, I will vote for him again."
Jarett Jones said he plans to vote for former President Trump because he doesn't believe Biden has done enough for the American people or created more opportunities.
"Trump was actually helping the people," Jones said. "He might be a racist, but you know, when it comes down to it, if he's a better president, that's just what it is."
Jamila Gadsden, whose aunt was one of the nine killed in 2015, continues to be a supporter of Biden and felt a sense of community with Biden's visit, saying that despite challenges from Congress, he's done the best he could.
"The Senate and the House that we have ... sometimes we're not always in agreement," she said.
Asked how she felt about the 2024 election, Gadsden said she was "hopeful that we will do the right thing."
As Biden makes appeal to Black voters, they share differing views on his 2024 campaign originally appeared on abcnews.go.com