Michigan mayor snubs meeting with Biden over Israel-Hamas war

Laura Barron-Lopez:

Dearborn, Michigan, is home to one of the largest Muslim and Arab American populations in the United States.

Since the Israel-Hamas war began, the city's residents, many of whom have a personal connection to the region, have urged President Biden to endorse a cease-fire in Gaza. The "NewsHour" has learned the president is planning a trip to Michigan on Thursday to rally with United Auto Workers after they endorsed his reelection bid.

The visit comes after Dearborn's mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, was one of several Arab American leaders who turned down a meeting with President Biden's campaign last week, and he joins me now.

Mayor Hammoud, thanks so much for joining the "NewsHour."

Biden's campaign manager visited Michigan recently and met with leaders of various constituencies across the state. Why did you choose to decline that invitation?

Abdullah Hammoud, Mayor of Dearborn, Michigan: We chose to decline because I don't think this is the moment that calls for electoral politics.

Palestinian lives should not be measured in polls. For us, this is a moment for our concerns to be heard, listened to, and for us to draft a new course together in terms of changing the direction of what's happening overseas. Those are conversations that need to be had with senior policy staff, with Cabinet members, not with campaign staff.

When you send campaign staff as the first delegation to this community to meet with us for the first time, that sends a message that this is purely a political problem that you see.

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