President Biden appeared at the South Carolina State University commencement ceremony Friday to speak to students of the historically Black university, where he committed several verbal gaffes. At different points, the president accidentally referred to Vice President Harris as “President Harris” and reflected on the “George Family Justice Act Policing Act.”
“On police reform, I share the frustration,” Biden said at one point. “And I know the family well – the George Family Justice Act and Policing Act – I know the family well,” Biden said, mangling the name of Democrats’ George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
At another point, the president spoke glowingly of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, touting, “Of course, President Harris is a proud Howard [University] alum.”
The president used part of his speech to push for a wide-ranging election and campaign finance reform bill that passed the Democratic-controlled House along party lines earlier this year. But Republicans vehemently oppose the bill, which is stalled in a Senate split 50-50 between the two major parties. The GOP criticizes the measure as a federal power grab and takeover of the states’ longstanding ability to control their elections.
