Philadelphia Councilman Nicolas O’Rourke targeted President Joe Biden in the wake of his State of the Union address, signaling he’s in danger of ostracizing the very people who got him elected four years ago.
O’Rourke, a member of the Working Families Party who was chosen to deliver the progressive response to Biden’s speech, pointed to two “humanitarian crises” in his criticism of Biden and his administration: the war in Gaza and the crisis at the southern border.
“Philadelphians, including WFP voters, helped put Joe Biden in office in 2020,” the Philadelphia councilman said toward the beginning of his speech. “Tonight, we have a message for the president.”
The war in Gaza and Trump-era immigration policies are “out of step” with their values, according to O’Rourke, and Biden is “endangering the coalition that elected you in the first place, the coalition that you need to come together again.”
However, there is “good news,” the progressive leader said, because Biden still has time to “unite that coalition” if he “heeds the calls from the people.”
O’Rourke addressed many topics central to the goals of progressive leaders, such as giving marginalized communities more resources and halting the shipment of weapons to Israel. On these and other issues, to him, the Biden administration “continues to fall short.” The progressive leader even evoked Jesus, saying, “In the words of that brown-skinned Palestinian Jew named Jesus,” the country should be judged by how it lifts up people without means.
“I really hope you’re listening, sir,” O’Rourke addressed Biden as he declared progressives’ disagreements with Republicans must not blind them from also calling out the Democratic administration when it “falls woefully short.”
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He even referenced the retirement of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) and pointed to congresswomen such as Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) in his message to “organize” to get more progressives into Congress.
O’Rourke was elected to the Philadelphia City Council last fall, saying he and his peers won seats “held by Republicans for decades.” O’Rourke’s selection to deliver the progressive response signals the party’s search for an up-and-coming leader.
