Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden worshiped at a predominantly African American church Sunday in Mississippi, two days before the state's primary where black voters will play a pivotal role. Rival Bernie Sanders was campaigning in Michigan, the biggest prize among the six states voting Tuesday.
Biden was welcomed by applause at New Hope Baptist Church, where he was accompanied by the NAACP national president, Derrick Johnson, and by U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, both of whom are from Mississippi. They sat in the front row, and Biden sang along with the congregation: “Oh, victory in Jesus, my savior forever.”
Thompson endorsed the former vice president on Thursday and introduced him to the congregation. “We know what it means to be picked out, to be picked on,” Thompson said. “We know Joe. I’m going to give him another name.”
Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden left, is escorted to the podium by Pastor Jerry Young at New Hope Baptist Church, Sunday, March 8, 2020, in Jackson, Miss. (AP PhotoRogelio V. Solis)
He called Biden “the comeback kid.”
Biden had struggled in the early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada but won decisively in South Carolina on Feb. 29, boosted by African American voters. He also had a strong showing on Super Tuesday in states with large numbers of black voters.
“If I am the comeback kid, which I ain’t there yet, but if I’m the comeback kid, there’s only one reason I’ve come back — the African American community all around the country,” Biden said to applause by the congregation.
Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden, center and U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., right, join Trey Baker, with the Biden campaign left, in singing during services at New Hope Baptist Church, Sunday, March 8, 2020, in Jackson, Miss. (AP PhotoRogelio V. Solis)
Biden mentioned former President Barack Obama several times. He said the United States is at “an inflection point” because of poor treatment in the past three years of people who are marginalized, isolated and oppressed.
Biden talked about the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. “I underestimated that hate’s never defeated. It only hides," Biden said.
Both Biden and Sanders picked up some high-profile endorsements Sunday.
Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden, center, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., second from right, B.J. Thompson, the congressman's daughter, right, and Trey Baker, with the Biden campaign, left, laugh at comments from Pastor Jerry Young during services at New Hope Baptist Church, Sunday, March 8, 2020, in Jackson, Miss. (AP PhotoRogelio V. Solis)
California Sen. Kamala Harris said she would "do everything in my power'' to help elect Biden. She is the latest dropout from the Democratic race for president to line up behind Biden in his matchup against Sanders.
The decision by Harris, who was one of three black candidates seeking to challenge President Donald Trump, further solidifies the Democratic establishment's move to close circles around Biden after his Super Tuesday success.
Sanders announced that civil rights leader Jesse Jackson was formally backing him. Jackson was appearing with Sanders in Grand Rapids and planned to say that Biden had not reached out to him for endorsement while Sanders had.
Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at New Hope Baptist Church, Sunday, March 8, 2020, in Jackson, Miss. (AP PhotoRogelio V. Solis)
According to prepared remarks released by the Sanders campaign, Jackson said he chose the Vermont senator after the campaign offered responses on 13 issues Jackson raised, including protecting voting rights, increasing funding for historically black colleges and universities and committing to putting African Americans on the Supreme Court.
“Right now, our focus is here in Michigan, where we think we have the agenda that can win this state. And, also, with two people in the race -- now, it's Vice President Biden and myself -- we have the opportunity to contrast our voting records, our vision for the future,'' Sanders said in an interview with CNN's “State of the Union."