Octavia Spencer supports Joe Biden at rally in Detroit and attacks Trump

President Biden at his campaign rally in Detroit on Friday.

(Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

At a rally in Detroit on Friday night, an ailing Joe Biden sought to allay widespread fears that his re-election bid is in deep trouble as more politicians and celebrities call for him to withdraw from the 2024 Democratic nomination.

Biden’s agenda in Detroit was to divert focus from his alarming performance in the June 27 debate, which for many people highlighted his advanced age and raised doubts about his ability to lead the nation for another term. According to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released Thursday, 56 percent of Democratic voters said they would like to see Biden step down and allow another party leader to run against Donald Trump.

The president’s rival was the main theme of his speech in Detroit, and he highlighted Project 2025, a group of right-wing policy proposals that emerged at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, and are intended to reshape the U.S. government and consolidate executive power.

Although Trump has claimed in recent days that he knew nothing about Project 2025, longtime Trump allies and former Trump administration officials are among those who drafted the proposed revisions.

Oscar winner Octavia Spencer performed “Project 2025,” warming up the sold-out audience at Renaissance High School.

“Donald Trump and his allies are laying the groundwork for a future in which the federal government can be used as a weapon against his so-called enemies: immigrants, minorities, women, military personnel he calls suckers and losers – anyone who won’t grovel at his feet,” Spencer said. “So Americans have a choice to make. Who do we trust to fight for us?”

Spencer’s appearance comes as a number of prominent Hollywood donors, including George Clooney, have called on Biden to drop out of the race.

Biden took the stage around 4:20 p.m. PT, decorated with signs reading “Motown is Joe Town,” as the crowd chanted “Don’t give up!” and “We’re behind you!” He began by thanking the unions in attendance and briefly touched on key issues such as restoring reproductive rights, lowering drug prices and expanding health care before firmly reaffirming his commitment to his presidential candidacy.

“There has been a lot of speculation, ladies and gentlemen: What is Joe Biden going to do? Is he going to stay in the race? Is he going to drop out? I’m running and we’re going to win,” he said, citing a Marist poll that shows him ahead 50-48.

Following that speech, major Democratic donors to the largest pro-Biden super PAC, Future Forward, told them they would freeze about $90 million in pledged donations as long as President Biden remained at the top of the ballot.

From here, Biden achieved what seemed to be his goal in Detroit: to shift the focus to Trump.

“Do you really want to go back to the chaos that Donald Trump had as president?” Biden asked, spurring the angry crowd. “Back when the United States lost three million jobs. By the way, Donald Trump is the only president in American history, other than Herbert Hoover, who has lost more jobs than he had when he took office. That’s why I call him Donald ‘Herbert Hoover’ Trump.”

Biden also attacked Trump over his economic policies, which he said would increase inflation. Prices of cars, appliances, airline tickets and food have fallen recently. Biden told the crowd that Trump’s plan to impose a 10 percent tariff on all imports will cost working families $2,500 a year.

Biden soon went all out, bringing up all of Trump’s legal problems, including the defamation case against E. Jean Carroll, in which a judge said Carroll’s testimony in court that the former president and presumptive Republican nominee raped her was “substantially true.” When he brought up that moment, Biden apparently repeated the word “rape” for emphasis.

At one point, Biden’s speech was interrupted by a lone pro-Palestinian protester chanting “Free, free Palestine” who was quickly escorted away by security forces. Biden told the crowd he understood “their passion,” adding, referring to Israel’s campaign in Gaza, “This war must end.”

Overall, Biden delivered a campaign performance similar to his equally powerful call to MSNBC on Monday morning. It was his strongest public performance in weeks, but it may not be nearly enough to prevent his campaign from losing crucial support. Still, he certainly fired up the crowd in Detroit with his speech, which ended with a clear distinction between himself and his rival.

“I know I look 40,” he joked. “I’m a little old, but with a little age comes a little wisdom. Here’s what I know: I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to do this job, and I know that the American people want a president, not a dictator.”