Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
JOE BIDEN LOVES his Irish roots. But while Irish-Americans love him back, they’re also fine with his decision to step aside.
More than fine, in fact. Irish-American Democrats seem newly-energised and buoyed up by the presidential election, with many saying that they believe the Democrats can win in November.
In interviews in Chicago this week, where the Democratic National Convention is taking place, multiple people told The Journal that while it had meant a lot to see him in office, he did the right thing by bowing to pressure and not running again.
“The energy is different. The conversations are different. It all feels very buzzy,” said Amy Lawless, who grew up in Galway and has lived in Chicago for many years.
She was speaking at an event for Irish-American Democrats in Chicago which was being held in one of the venues owned and run by her family.
“We do lots of St Patrick’s Day parties here and this actually feels like St Patrick’s Day,” she told The Journal. “It just has that excitement and happiness about it.”
“There’s no sadness for Joe Biden. We love Joe, we appreciate everything he did for America. He did an amazing job. But it was time to pass the torch,” Tim Egan said. “The Irish-Americans that I [know] are behind Kamala Harris 100%.”
People pointed to Biden’s performance in the debate against Donald Trump as being the final moment when it became clear that he should go.
“We were excited about Joe. And then the debate happened and all of us said, ‘Okay, he’s not up to it anymore’,” said Abdon Pallasch, an Irish-American who works in political communications.
“I’m not even going to say that it’s bittersweet. I think we all felt that it was time,” said Fiona McEntee, an immigration lawyer who moved to the US from Ireland. “He is such a patriot. As a woman, as an immigrant, as a now naturalised American citizen, to see this ticket is just incredible. So I think there’s a sense of gratitude to him for this.”
Others saw Harris’s candidacy as the best shot to beat the Republican nominee. “I think the Irish as a whole would be happy to close the door on Donald Trump for good,” said Theresa Flynn. “After being in Ireland this past summer, I heard the resounding message over and over: ‘What the hell are you guys doing over there?’.
There were early questions about Kamala Harris’s candidacy after she was announced as the likely Democratic nominee to replace Biden.
“There may have been some initial Kamala scepticism, some questions about whether she was up to the job,” said Abdon Pallasch.
“Within a day or two after Joe announced his retirement and backed Kamala, I was surprised to find my daughters, who had not been into politics at all, were so excited about Kamala – and I realised ‘oh, we’re going to be fine.’ She’s energising a whole new generation that had been apathetic.”
The new presidential campaign has sought to emphasise the similarities between the candidates. Alex Nason, the Irish-American and Catholic Co-ordinator for the Harris campaign, told the crowd at the Irish-American Democrats event that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz shared the Irish-American values of honesty and hard work.
Among Democrats, the prospect of another Trump presidency raises multiple red flags.
“I’m a daughter of an immigrant, a wife of an immigrant, and a daughter of a union worker and a wife of a union worker, so I believe that workers’ rights are being challenged if Donald Trump comes into office again,” said Theresa Flynn.
Abdon Pallasch saw a ‘selfishness and shortsightedness’ in Trump’s campaign.
“It’s the same dynamic that got Boris Johnson and Victor Orban elected; the scapegoating and xenophobia and fear of outsiders.
“And if you go into the kitchen in this fine Irish-American establishment here, I’ll bet there are Mexican folks there working in the kitchen. That’s who works the kitchens, because Americans don’t want these jobs. And so we should be welcoming all these folks who are willing to take these jobs, and the lawn care [jobs] and everything else that they’re willing to do.”
Older Irish-Americans in particular have gravitated strongly towards Donald Trump in recent years, as he galvanised support among working-class communities with his promises to protect jobs in the US.
“A lot of people that came out here maybe 40, 50 years ago are huge Trump supporters,” said Amy Lawless.
Addressing the crowd at the event via Zoom from Ireland, where he was visiting, her father, former Senator Billy Lawless, who lives in Chicago said he would ‘always remember’ what happened on January 6th 2020, when protesters attacked the Capitol Building in Washington DC in an attempt to stop the handover of power.
“I think our democracy is in danger,” he said, urging people to vote for Kamala Harris.
The Irish-American Democrats are confident that Harris will win in November.
“Yes, I absolutely think she will,” said Fiona McEntee. “But I don’t want to get complacent. There is a a fear that [Democrats] will end up lulled into a false sense of security, and we’ll take our foot off the gas. And that’s not what we need to do. She needs all of us to get behind her. She needs us to help her win.”
“We need to remember how it felt when Trump won the election. There were a lot of people that felt like we should have done more, and I don’t want that to happen again.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The history books will NOT be kind to senile joey’s tenure….. hundreds of thousands dead in needless proxy wars in Ukraine, Palestine, Israel & Russia. Fortunately the President of Peace is willing to serve us again giving hope to the citizens of those war ravaged nations.
The NO WAR president JUGGERNAUT of Peace is Washington bound Nov 5th.
Trump/Vance 2024– the A TEAM.
#betteredaysarecoming
@Buster Lawless: The more I see your drivle posted everytime American politics is mentioned I wonder is this parody? Noone is that deluded and blind to Trumps obvious enormous flaws. Well played, good parody should be difficult to identify
@Buster Lawless: do you ever leave this site? Yeah the history books will be kind to him. What about his predecessor that you are supporting? The one who is a pathological liar, a felon, sexually abuses women, tries to start a coup, cosies up to dictators, advises the public to inject bleach into their veins and had sex with a hard-core porn star when his missus was heavily pregnant with their son.
@Buster Lawless: the more you say it the less likely it becomes. So please say it even more often.
@FoxyBoiiYT: not a parody at all,just a weirdo or a paid agitator
@Buster Lawless: 4/10 on the MAGA scale. Donald wants you to lick his boots more.
@Buster Lawless: sexual abusers are not men of peace!
@FoxyBoiiYT: Buster could well be a creation of The Journal whose posts are click bait designed to keep the pot stirred.
@Buster Lawless: Everything you say is ridiculous but then that goes double for the likes of Trump and Vance. Their very presence on any political ticket is a damning indictment of politics itself but that’s where things are now. As for Joe Biden, if he was a few years younger he would have thrashed Trump again but he is just too frail to see out a whole presidential term again and it became apparent over the last few months. Kamala Harris will probably thrash Trump as well.
@Buster Lawless: Yawn……
@John Moore: yes the guy who has just given 20billion in arms to Israel ,a war Criminal Joe Biden should be held accountable for the over 40,000 Palestines, thousands of them innocent little children Thats the good Catholic & Harris will be no better, hard questions have not been asked of her its all bluster & she spends all her time knocking Trump, (& I’m not a Trump follower ) no policies heard an American Lady she would vote for neither of them
@FoxyBoiiYT: He is right,Joe Biden has given this week 20 billion in Arms to Israel this guy has blood on his hands the guy talking about peace & his RED LINE well his red line has long been crossed & here he is with his 20 billion U could not make it up, a lot of Americans are totally brainwashed This is done in their name the Slaughter of Innocents
@Sheila McNulty: How much did they get under Trump? He moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, he’s best mates with Netanyahu, Republicans are far worse for Palestinians than Democrats.
@Sheila McNulty: Well the main mistake was putting Israel where it is now decades ago if you want to get into that. The US government are going to back Israel. There is no two ways about it and any president that doesn’t won’t be the president for long. That’s just the real world. Any other US president would do the exact same and if think otherwise it’s delusional. You heard an American lady who would vote for neither of them. Well that’s that then isn’t it if one person said that. These are the candidates so it will be one or the other and Trump is just a clown.
@Buster Lawless: Sure. Might as well bring Liz Truss back while you’re at it. Lol.
The man has lost all credibility with his unwavering support for Israel and failure to stop Netanyahu for prolonging the slaughter and suffering of innocent Palestinian men, women and children.
@Leonard Barry: Biden supplies the weapons whilst simultaneously sending Blinken to try and end the slaughter. Depraved behaviour.
Genocide Joe … thats his legacy
Joe got shafted folks. One minute there’s absolutely nothing wrong with him, the a debate and he’s out. Even in his fair well speech he said “I feel I deserve a second term”. But the powers that. Be )not the 14 million delegates that voted for him) decided that his race was run. Don’t want to hear anything ( as is usual here) about Trump? What I have posted is plain fact
@Mick O’K: well it’s plain fact in your eyes but not in everyone else’s eyes. He was a liability and couldn’t even string a sentence together
@Anthony Hilton: I know but if you said that you would be accused of being a conspiracy theorist
@Mick O’K: well that’s what’s wrong with the world now. Most can’t have a different opinion without being called woke or far right or far left or conspiracy theorist or a phobic. Believe what you want but if I show someone facts and they still say I’m wrong then I what’s the point of even continuing a discussion with that person. (I mean people and not you in this scenario)
@Anthony Hilton: ah no I get you. We basically saying the day same thing about Biden
@Mick O’K: “Even in his fair well speech he said “I feel I deserve a second term””
In his speech to the Convention, he never once mentioned a second term.
You can read the transcript here – https://time.com/7012342/watch-president-biden-dnc-speech/
Nor in the speech he gave when he stepped aside – https://www.reuters.com/world/us/text-biden-letter-which-he-announced-stepping-aside-candidate-2024-07-21/
Is Jie Biden Irish American? Can’t be! His support of Israel goes against everything we stand for, these are colonial actions carried about countries who care not for the rule of law.
@Marcus Maher – Triskellion Films: well said.
Israel’s actions are those of the British forces which would have driven Bidens ancestors out of Ireland.
@Peter McCormack: his ancestor worked for the British army
@Peter McCormack: I’m not sure the sweeping anti-Brit thing on every topic still works ? It’s quite a niche audience these days but you enjoy yourself, fill your boots.
@Derick R M: It’s a historical fact Derick. It’s not being anti-British. It’s just stating the truth.
@Mick O’K: Unfortunately most Irish people’s ancestors worked for them in some way or other.
@stephen deegan: true but most are not career politicians leaning into their oirishness, saying one St Patrick’s Day “if you’re orange you ain’t getting in”
I thought Joe was a decent sort. But his handling of the pulling out of Afghanistan was nothing but disgusting. His proxy war in Ukraine is evidence of a war monger. His lack of empathy for the Palestinians is sad. He could end both those wars but it’s not in his nature. Giving humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, then arming their enemy. You couldn’t make it up. Before anyone has a go, what Hamas did on 7th of October was a war crime. But to punish a whole population is also a crime against humanity
@Philip Gallagher: Except it’s not Biden’s war in Ukraine but Putin’s. Putin keeps Ukraine in conflict to prevent them from joining NATO.
@smatrix mantra: He’ll fight Russia down to the last Ukrainian.
@smatrix mantra: If you have the power to end any war, and choose not to. Then it’s every bit as much your war, as the nations in combat
@Philip Gallagher: I completely concur.
I had reckoned he was a good man… but his treatment of the Palestinian people is sickening.
Sending off Blinken on the pretence of trying to achieve peace …yet selling 20 billion euro worth of armaments to Israel.
You are an absolute abomination Sleepy Joe.
@Philip Gallagher: Just what do you suggest be done so?
Do any of you people realise that the Jews run America?
@Lulu: AIPAC tracker on Twitter gives a good synopsis of what American politicians are bought by Israel.
@Lulu: just America
@Lulu: It’s beginning to look very much that way sadly and the saddest thing of all is that the majority of them don’t realise it.
@Patrick Coffey: You think it is only America? sure this rag is owned by an American conglomerate. Check out operation mockingbird for full disclosure.
Kamala and Tim en route to the White House – The Don and JD exit stage left.
@Willie Marty: And what exactly does she stand for ?All i hear her doing is trying to put Trump down what are her Policies no hard questions have been put to her is she another Joe & all he stands for, more weapons for Israel Joe God Help Us all
Genocide Joe can go to hell. Sending billions in wespons to murder thousands of innocent Palestinian children. His hands are forever stained with their blood. Seeing the footage this week of little kids with their faces blown off, Palestinian prisoners being raped by Israeli soldiers, kids sniped with head shots, Israeli bulldozers demolishing graveyards while the drivers laugh, it’s disturbed, disgusting and on a par with behaviour associated with the Nazis. Why oh why is being allowed to happen? Oh yeah, I forgot, Israel is defending itself! Slobodan Milosevic should have used that one.
@Anthony Curran: totally agree with u its a travasty how joe Biden has the neck to imply he is a great Catholic & give 20 billion more to Israel knowing the devestation this will further do after all the slaughter in Palastines He will have to account for the Blood on his hands this is Evil
JOE kinda good, Donald deffo bad…
@Paul Gorry: Kinda good in a helping genocide kinda way.
The support Genocide Joe got from Ireland was one of the most hypo critical things.
His pandering to Israel sealed his fate
The fawning over genocide Joe when he was here. It was one of the most cringe worthy things we’ve done. Like Michael Noonan Meeting Trump off the plane in Shannon with a red carpet and a load of Irish dancers.
The people of Mayo should be ashamed that they still have a mural of this evil man on a wall in Ballina.
I hope Butcher Biden, the senile delinquent, lives long enough to experience a fair trial in the Hague.
Democrats support Israel 95% of the time and get called pro Hamas for that. Republicans support Israel 100% and love seeing dead Palestinian children. They are monsters frankly
@FoxyBoiiYT: not disagreeing with you, but did you see the pro hamas protests at the convention this week? They’re not republican voters that’s for sure. A lot of the Democrat base is supporting Hamas, someone actually got on stage and shouted some nonsense, you can be sure she wasn’t a republican voter. It’s probably why the better VP pick Shapiro was overlooked
@Mick O’K: So Democrats have to pick a Jew to prove they’re not anti semitic? Que all the complaints of DEI hire, he was picked because he’d Jewish no other reason… Tim is far better
@Mick O’K: Don’t be so disingenuous. Being anti-genocide is not being pro-Hamas. Seeing Democrats covering their ears and laughing while the names of dead Palestinian children were being called out was not a good look. “Ostriches sticking their heads in the sand” behaviour. Quite frankly, it was disturbing to watch.
@Anthony Curran: I’m not being disingenuous At Anthony, I stated facts
@FoxyBoiiYT: do you honestly think all of those protesting would vote for Harris if Shapiro was on the ticket? Colleges have had to introduce laws to protect Jewish students from those protesting
@Mick O’K: Ah here we go. Anything anti racism in college is just snowflakes whi can’t take the real world. But Jews? They must be protected in their safe spaces.. /
Total hypocrisy from the right. They guys who until recently marched with tiki torches chanting “the Jews will not replace us”. Remember that?
@FoxyBoiiYT: kids getting beaten up and harassed because of their religion is ok because they’re Jewish? Really
The GOP House of Representatives’ members’ statements and voting record on arms shipments and military aid do not excuse the Biden administration’s own support of Isreal. But they are even worse and the GOP refused to accept any delays or reductions in that military aid that Biden proposed. Biden will have to be assessed historically on his support. The GOP on theirs. Overall Biden did far better legislatively than I expected (until the GOP regained the House majority), but he should always have been planning for a one term presidency.
When Netanyahu was in the US several weeks ago he described Biden as a Zionist Irish American.
When he meets Ms Harris will he be describing her as a Zionist Indian American?
Joe was a joke calling himself Irish, Trump is reaching new heights with the backing of Kennedy. Looking forward to the cakewalk.
https://x.com/VigilantFox/status/1827148528495321516
Joe Biden will not be missed by the majority of Irish people. As a people we have stood four square with Palestine. We have watched in horror as Biden facilitated the slaughter of thousands of Palestinian children by the Zionist regime in Israel. He has caved to the Zionist warmongers and is an embarrassment to his Irish roots. As a people it is our instinctive inclination to support the downtrodden, the hungry, the vulnerable. Biden has set aside all of those values.
Useless president. The way he withdrew from Afghanistan was totally incompetent. A massive arsenal of weaponry worth 2 billion handed to Al Quaeda.
Too many times we have seen politicians who are popular by being critical of the opposition then turn out not to be in any way suitable in a decision making role. And then you have the politicians who are just along for the ride who have no original ideas or independent thinking and will stoop to plagiarism to seem important
@Paul1st: Biden would be very proud of fine gael. for all the wrong reasons
For a democrat to be remembered well after the faux shock of vile Clinton losing in 2016 and the Trump years, they needed to be proactive. Not sullen. & A parrot for a few major ngos in the USA that clearly don’t include people fighting to stop the slaughter the second AMENDMENT has brought. He has very, very little to show for his time in office.
@S Suilleabhain: *and that’s ignoring the hypocrisy he proudly engages in over slaughter on both sides in that part of the middle east
Joe really needed to go as sad as it was unfortunately
Creepy uncle Joe probably doesn’t even realise he’s president lol.
Second and third generations assimilate and become right wing like the ruling class unfortunately.
have your say