Black Democrats and leaders are sticking beside President Joe Biden after more than a week of calls from some Congressional Democrats and media pundits for him to step aside as the party’s presidential nominee following his underwhelming June 27 debate with Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. 

Biden’s support for remaining in the 2024 race culminated on Monday night after he met with the Congressional Black Caucus to reiterate what he said in a letter to Congressional Democrats earlier that day: he is “firmly committed” to staying in the race and “beating Donald Trump.”

Following his reported 20-minute guest remarks during the virtual weekly CBC convening, members quickly announced their unwavering support for the president.

“He’s committed to fighting for the soul of our nation and Black economic progress. And because of that, I stand with him even more strongly than before,” U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., told theGrio minutes after the closed meeting concluded. 

The longtime congresswoman said she was left more committed to supporting the president’s reelection after hearing him speak directly about “what he has done to uplift Black Americans and to grow Black wealth.” She added that Biden also laid out “what he plans to do to continue to slash Black poverty and help Black Americans thrive.”

“This is not a time to have the discussion about Joe Biden’s age or Joe Biden’s debate,” Wilson continued. “This has to do with the future of our nation, the future of our people and the future of our children.”

Congressional Black Caucus Chairman, U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., similarly came out forcibly in support of Biden.

“What I find interesting is that the issues more around ageism and ableism and not what this president, President Biden, has done,” Horsford told CNN’s Abby Phillip hours after the Biden call when asked about concerns voters may have about the 81-year-old president’s age and mental fitness.

“It is his experience and his civility because he actually cares about the American people while Donald Trump only cares about himself or the billionaires and big corporations that he wants to give tax cuts to.”

Democratic strategist Joel Payne assessed that President Biden’s decision to meet with the CBC and the subsequent strong backing from its members shows the strength of the 60-member caucus popularly known as the “conscience of the Congress” and who serves as a “stand-in for the broader opinions of Black America at this moment.”

A July poll conducted by Bendixen & Amandi International Research found that Black voters are more likely than any other demographic to support Biden even if he suffered age-related impairment and couldn’t serve out his second term through 2029.

Payne said Black voters are more “pragmatic” than other racial and ethnic groups in their approach to politics in “understanding that they are most on the front lines from right-wing attacks [and] right-wing tear downs of freedoms.”

“They are most in the crosshairs of any population. And so I think that that has contributed to large swaths of Black voters really viewing this moment through a very pragmatic, practical lens,” he explained. 

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis told theGrio that he’s not surprised Black voters are still standing by Biden. He described a clear departure from the conversations being had among the political class in Washington, D.C., and in the media versus everyday Americans and state elected leaders.

“They’re not kind of caught up in the day-to-day grind of the political process that they’re talking about on CNN or MSNBC,” he noted. 

Davis, who campaigned with Biden in Pennsylvania on Sunday, dismissed concerns about President Biden’s fitness, telling theGrio that he observed a president who was “energetic” and exhibited “stamina.” 

The president visited a morning service at a Black church in Philadelphia and delivered remarks at a campaign event in Harrisburg, and, according to Davis, “shook hands for about an hour with everybody who was there in 95-degree sweltering heat.”

“I’m 34 years old, and it was a long day for me. I’m sure he had a longer day,” said the Democratic lieutenant governor. “I thought the president was sharp and clear … he has demonstrated not only can he effectively run this race and beat Donald Trump, he’s proven that he’s ready for the next four years.”

Ultimately, Black Democrats tell theGrio that winning over Black voters will be crucial to Biden’s re-election. They believe the president can do this by touting his accomplishments and how they benefited Black communities, laying out his plan for the next four years to continue that progress, and effectively communicating why a second Trump administration is a danger to Black Americans. 

As theGrio’s April Ryan reported, during his call with the CBC, President Biden highlighted economic policy goals he has set for the next four years, including closing the racial gap in homeownership, expanding Black wealth, and extending the Child Tax Credit, which researchers say would significantly help Black families.   

Lt. Gov. Davis said economic, kitchen-table issues like these should be the “centerpiece of the message that Black elected officials are campaigning on” in battleground states like Pennsylvania. He added, ​​“We’re not saying that things are perfect. We’re saying  … President Biden has delivered, and we want to stick with a candidate that has proven to deliver for us.”

By contrast, Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright said, “Black voters understand the threats to come along with Donald Trump and Trumpism are far greater than they were in 2016, especially when you hear him talk about retribution.” He told theGrio, “We care about the future of our country and our community.” 

Recommended Stories

Considering Biden’s 2020 victory against Trump was in large part due to the support of Black voters, Seawright said he’s not surprised that attempts to cast Biden aside are being rejected by Black leaders and Black voters.  

“He may not be perfect, and all of us may not be pleased, but by and large, we are certainly not going to allow anyone else to push out what we put in,” he argued. 

The longtime adviser to influential U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., noted that Black voters have historically disagreed with “those we’ve given our vote to.”

“Barack Obama was an African-American president. It doesn’t mean we didn’t have disagreements with him,” he explained. “It just means those disagreements did not compare to the disagreements we had with the Republican Party at that time. I think that’s still true.”

Congresswoman Wilson said the focus should be less on whether Biden’s age is a disqualifier and more on Trump and his 34-count felonies and pending criminal indictments. 

“That alone should be enough for Republicans to be looking for another candidate. There’s no comparison between Joe Biden and Donald Trump,” she maintained. “It should be not even allowed for the two of them to stand next to each other. That’s just how despicable Donald Trump is.”

Meagan Good is not letting critics online nor in her close circle of friends dissuade her from being happy in and continuing to publicize her current relationship with Marvel star Jonathan Majors.

You don’t need us to tell you the domestic dispute legal kerfuffle Majors was embroiled in over the last year, which resulted in him being convicted of third degree reckless assault and harassment. A Manhattan judge ended up sentencing him to enroll in a domestic violence treatment program for one year, continued therapy, and no jail time. But all throughout his trial, there was one woman pictured by his side: Meagan Good.

In speaking on Tuesday’s episode of Hoda and Jenna in promotion of her new film Divorce in the Black, directed by Tyler Perry, Good spoke the level of “support” she and Majors have been giving to each other and finally addressed the elephant in the room as to why she would choose to debut an arguably controversial relationship with Majors.

“The support that we’ve been able to give each other, the pouring into each other, the honest conversations, the love, the respect, just the care and the thoughtfulness—it’s just been really wonderful,” she said around the four-minute-mark.

She went on to explain how “everyone” around her advised her to take a beat before publicizing their romance amidst Majors’ legal troubles. But at the end of the day, while she took their advice into considerstion—Good made her own decision and is standing by it:

“One thing I know is that I can always look in the mirror when I trust my spirit, when I trust God, when I ask God, and when I move to the beat of my own drum… I can always look and say, ‘Okay, I’m proud of that.’

No matter whatever happens, I have peace in my heart and have harmony in my heart. And it’s only when I do something based on someone else saying ‘well I think you should do this…I take everyone I love’s opinion into account, but at the end of the day, I’m the one who has to have to live my life.”

“I want to be responsible for the choices I make and want to live the life that I want to live,” she concluded.

We all remember the Maryland teacher who went viral for the wrong reasons right? In May, Marquise White shared a video on his TikTok where he showed his young Black female students taking out his braids before his hair appointment.

The video led to widespread controversy from across the internet, with some claiming that no teacher should have that kind of relationship with their students and others defending the video, saying it was innocent. Despite the differing views, an investigation was launched against White by the Prince George’s County Public Schools.

He defended his actions by saying that he was mainly being attacked because he is “a young, handsome, Black man.”

But in a recent video posted to his TikTok, White gave the public an update and said that he’s allowed back in the classroom.

On Friday, July 5, White said, “Guess what? Guess who finally received a decision from the county on behalf of the superintendent, in regards to my employment status? At first, I was really bothered by how long this process was taking, but now, as I’m looking back on it, I want to thank the county for taking their time and ensuring I wasn’t an actual weirdo that slipped through the cracks before they allowed me back into the classroom.”

He added, “People were calling me everything under the sun, making baseless claims, allegations, and accusations against me. Calling me a predator, a pedo, ‘Diddy.’ All those baseless claims made it back to the county, so they had to treat it as if I was an actual weirdo and look into it… After a long, extensive, and arduous investigation, they didn’t find anything.”

Watch the entire video below:

While there are sure to still be some detractors who still disagree with his actions, many were positive in his comment section, with one user writing, “The entire situation made me realize the significant amount of healing that our community needs. Absolutely nothing was wrong with what you did and I’m glad you’re back!”

What do you think? Does White deserve to be a teacher again?

10

Move over summer heat, TWICE is here to cool things down! On July 10th at midnight KST, the K-Pop juggernauts unveiled the music video for “DIVE,” the title track from their recently released 5th Japanese album of the same name.

This enchanting serenade finds the girls diving headfirst, not into the ocean (although there is some beautiful water imagery in the video!), but into the depths of their lover’s heart. The song perfectly captures the carefree spirit and blossoming emotions of a summer romance, making it the perfect soundtrack for your warm-weather adventures.

The music video itself is a feast for the eyes. With stunning visuals and the girls looking as radiant as ever, “DIVE” is sure to be a summer staple for ONCE (TWICE’s fandom) and K-Pop fans alike.

So dive into the comments below and let us know what you think of TWICE’s latest masterpiece!

Related

Whether you love or loathe Drake, it’s been entertaining watching the smug multi-millionaire get knocked down a few pegs. The latest famous name to dance all over his downfall is tennis GOAT Serena Williams. Once upon a time, the two were rumored to be romantically involved, which makes her comments on Kendrick Lamar’s instant classic “Not Like Us” even more interesting.

While speaking with Cari Champion at the 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, the 23-time Grand Slam champion declared her love for the Drake diss track, calling it her “jam.”

“I love that song. It’s like the hit of the summer. When they play that jam, I’m jamming,” Williams said. “That jam is jamming.”

The Compton native also expressed her admiration for how Lamar brought multiple groups together at his “Pop Out” concert in Inglewood, California.

“You definitely Crip walking in that song. It’s so cool what he did though. Bringing everyone to the stage? That was incredible … I couldn’t believe it,” she said.

Way back in 2015 there were rumors about the two dating when TMZ published photos of them making out at an upscale Cincinnati restaurant. He also attended some of her matches that year, adding more fuel to the dating rumors. Like most of her previous relationships, Williams did not confirm their involvement.

If you’re wondering why the four-time Olympic gold medalist might be happy to see him get knocked down, it’s because long after they’d both moved on and she married Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Drake couldn’t keep Serena’s name out his mouth.

On the song “Middle of the Ocean,” from his 2022 album “Her Loss,” the Canadian superstar dropped the lyrics, “Sidebar, Serena, your husband a groupie/He claim we don’t got a problem but/No, boo, it is like you comin’ for sushi.”

Ohanian responded to the jab on social media, writing on X, f.k.a. Twitter, “The reason I stay winning is because I’m relentless about being the absolute best at whatever I do—including being the best groupie for my wife & daughter.”

Ohanian also seems to be a fan of “Not Like Us,” as he quote tweeted a post about Kendrick’s “Pop Out” performance of the song with a clip of the late Kobe Bryant, proclaiming, “I’m going to beat you. I’m going to let you know I beat you. And I’m gonna want you to reconsider your professional life choice.”

As far as we’re concerned, Serena can say whatever she wants about all of these rappers who have been referencing her and her body in their music since she was a teenager. In fact, we want even more pettiness from Serena. Let’s see her, Alexis and the kids dancing around their mansion like Kendrick and Whitney at the end of the video.

46

WWE RAW just got a whole lot more interesting! Rhea Ripley finally returned from injury tonight, and things got heated with Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan.

Remember that whole victory dance Liv and Dominik were doing after their match? Yeah, that joyride screeched to a halt when Rhea’s entrance music hit. Liv hightailed it outta there faster than you can say “drama,” leaving Dominik alone to face Ripley’s icy stare. A hug from Dominik? Shut down. Ripley wasn’t having any of it, and the tension was so thick you could cut it with a folding chair.

MAMI’S BACK! 😈#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/RYciCsrkS3

— WWE (@WWE) July 9, 2024

SummerSlam is Gonna Be Lit!

We don’t know what exactly went down after RAW went dark, but one thing’s for sure: Rhea and Liv are gonna throw down at SummerSlam. This love triangle just got kicked into high gear, and things are about to get messy! Here’s what we’re all wondering:

• How’s Ripley gonna deal with Dominik getting all buddy-buddy with Liv?
• Is Liv actually into Dominik, or is this all a game to mess with The Judgment Day?
• Where does Dominik’s loyalty lie? Dude can’t seem to make up his mind!

Let’s Back Up a Minute…

This whole love triangle thing started way back in early 2023. Remember when Ripley won the Royal Rumble by tossing Liv out? Yeah, that wasn’t exactly the start of a beautiful friendship. Ripley went on to crush it as champ for almost a year, and Dominik even joined her crew, The Judgment Day.

Then, April rolls around, and Liv takes Ripley out with a sneak attack, putting Ripley on the shelf and forcing her to give up the title. While Ripley’s been recovering, Liv’s been cozying up to Dominik, making us all wonder what her real game is. Was she crushing on Dominik, or just trying to break up The Judgment Day?

Things got even more confusing when Liv messed up during one of Dominik’s matches. Was she trying to help or hurt him? Nobody knows! With Ripley back in the picture, it’s gonna be a showdown for the ages. Get ready for SummerSlam, folks, because this is one fight you won’t wanna miss!

Related

Pusha T and Pharrell Williams have taken their longstanding tradition of collaboration and officially “made it fashion.” 

Just one month after the rapper and producer debuted a new Clipse song during the Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring/Summer 2025 show during Paris Fashion Week, the legacy label announced Pusha as its latest ambassador for menswear — the department Williams heads.

“The Maison and Men’s Creative Director [Williams] are pleased to welcome the artist as the newest House Ambassador, beginning a new chapter of Louis Vuitton’s longstanding commitment to the musical arts,” the brand wrote in the caption of an Instagram post featuring images from Pusha’s campaign.

This announcement also signals the brand’s forthcoming direction. In a statement, per Women’s Wear Daily, the fashion house also expressed excitement about reuniting two longtime collaborators. 

Pusha and Louis Vuitton may not go way back, but from growing up in Virginia Beach together to releasing earthshattering hit after hit together, he and Williams certainly do. The “Runaway” rapper was already arguably an unofficial ambassador for LV menswear; he walked alongside his brother and other Clipse member “No Malice” during Williams’ debut Men’s Spring-Summer 2024 Show in Paris last year and again in January.

Recommended Stories

“Their shared history promises dynamic future avenues of expression and further affirms the Maison’s ambassadorial circle to be those forging today’s contemporary landscape across industries and fields,” read a release, per Billboard.

This move also underscores a trend: Williams’ intention to collaborate with as much of his creative circle as possible.

Since succeeding Virgil Abloh at the helm of LV’s menswear last year, A-listers like Beyoncé, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have attended his shows, the first of which included a musical set by Jay-Z. Rihanna helped kick off Williams’ tenure by starring in his first ad campaign, and Tyler, the Creator, was tapped to design his own capsule collection.

“Pusha T’s role as house ambassador underscores Louis Vuitton’s vision of bringing together diverse cultural influences to build powerful storytelling within its storied menswear universe. The Maison looks forward to this exciting collaborative journey ahead,” the brand noted.

Coupled with this announcement was news that Williams will also produce an upcoming Clipse album.