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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – It was a historic day in a place known for history. A sitting president traveled to Charleston and delivered remarks at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The day started at Joint Base Charleston where President Joe Biden met with U.S. Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC) and Democratic National Chairman, Jaime Harrison, before traveling 15 miles to Mother Emanuel where he made the case for four more years.
It’s a place where the then-Vice President came with his family shortly after they suffered their own tragedy, to share solace with a grieving church.
President Biden spoke passionately and personally about why he thought it was important to be at the historic church. One person who survived the horror of June 15, 2017 – Polly Sheppard – spoke on why it was important to hear from the president and why his visit was so important to her and many families.
“Two days after the service of Rev. Pinckney, my surviving son and I came back. My family and I worshiped with you here at Sunday Service to show our solidarity. But my family also needed to be healed. We didn’t realize how badly. Just 22 days before we had buried my son Beau,” the president remarked.
“It meant a lot. I wasn’t going to come today, but I remember him coming here and I remember him sitting in the pews and it was a little girl that was introducing the visitors. And when she saw him, she lost her speech … he came to be with us in our time of grief so I figured I would be here in his time to campaign,” said Sheppard.
President Biden highlighted the congregation at Mother Emanuel as a model for the nation, saying that tragedy can be met with action. The president also talked about the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and said we must always reject political violence.
He also reacted to protestors who were inside the church and did so patiently. The protesters, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, were escorted out of the church and the program continued.
