- As the Democratic National Convention approaches, some Democrats remain concerned about the possibility of losing support from “independent” voters who are outraged by U.S. support for Israel’s attack on Gaza.
- It’s unclear how influential the “apathy” campaign will be, as voter apathy is less of a threat given Harris’s increased campaign enthusiasm compared to Biden’s. That said, Harris and her team have made communicating with Arab American leaders a priority.
- The Trump campaign has continued its own outreach to Arab Americans with propaganda highlighting the situation in Gaza under a Biden administration and the Trump campaign’s promise to give the community a seat at the negotiating table if Trump wins.
Of the thousands of delegates expected to assemble at the Democratic National Convention on Monday, just 36 belong to the “independents” movement that sprang up out of dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
But that small core has an extraordinary impact.
Anger over U.S. support for Israel’s attack on Gaza could create an unfavorable image for convention organizers, with noisy protests expected outside, and possibly inside, the Chicago arena where Harris will accept the nomination on Thursday.
Chaos erupts at Kamala Harris’ New York event as Democratic National Convention braces for unrest in Chicago
Democratic leaders have been meeting for weeks with “independent” voters and their supporters, including a previously unreported meeting between Vice President Kamala Harris and the mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, in an effort to address criticism in key battleground states such as Michigan, which has a large Arab-American population.
Months of meetings and calls between pro-Palestinian activists and Harris’ campaign have effectively stalled, with activists calling on her to endorse an arms embargo on Israel and a permanent ceasefire. Harris has supported Biden’s ceasefire negotiations but rejected an arms embargo.
Rima Mohammed, one of two “independent” delegates from Michigan, said she saw the convention as an opportunity to share her movement’s concerns with party leadership.
“This is an avenue for outdoor protesters to share their frustration with the party,” she said.
Undecided delegate to the Democratic National Convention Abbas Alawiye answers questions during an interview in Dearborn, Michigan, on August 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
Democratic candidate meets with key Arab American mayors
Now that Biden is out and Harris is in, questions remain about the influence of “apathetic” voters. Democrats have seen a significant increase in enthusiasm for Harris’ campaign, and concerns about voter apathy in key areas such as Detroit’s large black population appear to have subsided.
But Harris and her team still prioritize communicating with Arab American leaders.
During a campaign trip to Michigan last week, Ms. Harris met with Abdullah Hammoud, 34, the mayor of Dearborn, a Detroit suburb that has the largest Arab-American population in the U.S. The meeting was disclosed by an anonymous person who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.
A person familiar with the meeting declined to provide specific details but said the focus was on possible policy on the Israel-Hamas conflict if Harris is elected. Hammoud declined to comment.
“Vice President Harris supports the agreement currently being negotiated for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages,” her campaign said in a statement. “As she has done throughout her term as Vice President, Harris will continue to meet with leaders of the Palestinian, Muslim, Israeli and Jewish communities.”
Campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez met separately Thursday with leaders of metro Detroit’s Arab American community and the “Uncommitted” movement.
“They are listening, and we are talking,” said Osama Siblani, publisher of Arab American News, who met with Chavez Rodriguez. “But without Harris’ public statements, none of us can rally votes in our community. She doesn’t need us. If you say the right things and do the right things, you can rally votes.”
“The killings have to stop,” Chavez Rodriguez agreed, according to Siblani. To which Siblani responded: “How? There’s no plan.”
Michigan Democratic Representative Lavora Barnes said the party “remains committed to our goal of coming together to defeat Donald Trump and the Republican Party across the board.”
“I want to ensure that everyone in the Michigan Democratic Party is included in the discussion, so I am committed to continuing these conversations with local leaders, activists and organizations,” Burns said in a statement.
No agreement on arms embargo
Some on the Democratic Party’s left wing have called for an end to Israel’s use of U.S.-made weapons to be included in the platform of policy goals to be approved at the party’s convention next week, but such language was not included in a draft platform party officials released this summer, and those close to the Harris campaign are unlikely to support it.
The Noncommittal National Movement has also asked its leaders to invite a doctor who served on the Gaza front line to speak at the conference. Another Noncommittal Michigan representative, Abbas Alawieh, a founder of the Noncommittal National Movement, has requested a meeting with Harris to “discuss a review of Gaza policy with the goal of preventing the unconditional flow of weapons and bombs to Israel.”
Before Harris’ rally in suburban Detroit last week, the movement’s co-founders, Alawiyeh and Laila Elabed, met briefly with the vice president. They requested a formal meeting with Harris and urged her to support an arms embargo on Israel. Harris seemed open to the idea, they said.
But shortly after news of the meeting became public, Ms. Harris’ national security adviser, Phil Gordon, reiterated that she did not support an arms embargo. Mr. Alawiye said on Wednesday that the group had not received any further response from Ms. Harris’ team or the Democratic National Convention regarding their request ahead of the convention.
“I hope she does not miss the opportunity to unite the party,” Alawiye said.
Trump campaign continues public relations efforts
Elsewhere in metro Detroit this week, Massad Bouros, the father-in-law of Trump’s youngest daughter and now head of Trump’s Arab American outreach efforts, met with various community groups for the outreach, which he frequents in Michigan along with Bishara Baba, president of Arab Americans for Trump.
Their pitch, Baba said, emphasized the situation in Gaza under the Biden administration and the Trump campaign’s promise to give the community a seat at the negotiating table if Trump wins.
“The Trump campaign, which is not involved in the campaign, offered us a seat at the table and our voices heard in exchange for our vote,” Barber said.
But Trump’s apparent political opportunities in the Arab American community and the “non-committal” movement may be limited by his past statements and policies.
Many Arabs are outraged by Trump’s ban on immigration from several Muslim-majority countries during his presidency and by comments they consider offensive. Trump has also criticized Biden for not being supportive enough of Israel.
Speaking to Jewish supporters on Thursday, President Trump described expected protesters in Chicago as anti-Semitic and brought up an Arabic term that Muslims sometimes use to mean war or struggle.
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“There will be no jihad in America under a Trump administration,” he said.
But Barba acknowledged that his and Boulos’ strategy isn’t necessarily aimed at switching voters to Trump, but rather at preventing them from voting for Harris.
“If we can’t convince people to vote for Trump, we’re better off keeping them at home,” Barba said.
