Biden vows to fight for voting rights but concedes 'I don't know whether we can get this done'

it's not just here in Georgia. Last year alone, 19 states not proposed But enacted 34 laws attacking voting rights. There are nearly 400 additional bills Republican members of state legislatures tried to pass and now Republican legislators in several states have already announced plans to escalate the onslaught this year. It's about making it harder to vote. It's about who gets to count the vote and whether your vote counts at all. The goal, the former president's allies is to disenfranchise anyone who votes against them. Simple as that. The facts won't matter. Your vote won't matter. They'll just decide what they want and then do it. I've been having these quiet conversations with members of Congress for the last two months. I'm tired of being quiet. Not a single Republican has displayed the courage to stand up to a defeated president To protect America's right to vote not one not one today. And making it clear to protect our democracy. I support changing the Senate rules whichever way they need to be changed to prevent a minority of senators from blocking action on voting rights when it comes to protecting majority rule in America, the majority should rule in the United States Senate. The next few days when these bills come to a vote, will mark a turning point in this nation's history. What we choose. Democracy over autocracy, light overshadows justice over injustice. I know right stan I will not yield. I will not flinch. I will defend the right to vote our democracy against all enemies foreign and yes, Domestic, The question is, where will the institution of the United States Senate stand?

President Joe Biden vowed to keep fighting on voting rights in remarks to reporters on Capitol Hill on Thursday, but conceded that he doesn't know if Democrats will be able to pass legislation they are pushing for."I hope we can get this done. The honest to god answer is I don't know whether we can get this done," Biden said. "I hope we can get this done, but I'm not sure. But one thing for certain, like every other major civil rights bill that came along if we miss the first time we can come back and try a second time."Biden arrived on Capitol Hill on Thursday afternoon as he continues to push for passage of voting legislation in Congress, despite the uphill battle Democrats face amid Republican opposition and resistance within their ranks to changing Senate rules."I don't know that we can get it done, but I know one thing: As long as I have a breath in me, as long as I'm in the White House as long as I'm enraged at all, I'm going to be fighting to change the way these legislatures are moving," the president added.In a sign of the obstacles ahead, Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona reiterated her support for the filibuster, which sets up a 60-vote threshold for most legislation to pass in the Senate, in a speech not long before Biden's arrival on the Hill.But Democratic leaders are pressing ahead anyway with a plan to bring up voting legislation in the Senate. In the first step toward that, the House of Representatives passed voting legislation Thursday morning ahead of Biden's visit.The Democratic-controlled House approved a measure that combined key provisions of two voting bills: the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. It will next be sent to the Senate where a high-profile fight awaits.Biden is planning to attend the Senate Democratic caucus lunch on Thursday to discuss the effort to pass voting bills and potential changes to Senate rules, a senior Democratic aide told CNN.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday that Biden plans to make the case directly to members for the new voting legislation."This is a defining moment that will divide everything before and everything after when the most fundamental American right that all others flow from, the right to vote and have your vote counted, is at risk," Psaki said on Wednesday. "He's heading up to the Hill tomorrow to speak to the caucus and make the strong case that you've heard him make publicly directly to members."Biden's planned trip to Capitol Hill comes after the president called on the Senate in a forceful speech on Tuesday to change its filibuster rules in order to pass voting legislation.The problem facing Democrats is that they don't have the votes to pass voting legislation under current Senate rules due to Republican opposition and they also do not appear to have the votes to change the rules.Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sinema, two influential moderates, have long expressed opposition to eliminating the 60-vote threshold required to pass most legislation.In a speech on the Senate floor on Thursday, Sinema warned against further partisan division and calls to do away with the filibuster."Eliminating the 60-vote threshold on a party line with the thinnest of possible majorities to pass these bills that I support will not guarantee that we prevent demagogues from winning office," she said. "Rather, eliminating the 60-vote threshold will simply guarantee that we lose a critical tool that we need to safeguard our democracy from threats in the years to come."Manchin later praised Sinema's speech, telling reporters it was a "very good, excellent speech."Democrats are under intense pressure from grassroots activists and their voters to pass legislation to safeguard voting access but have continually hit a wall in the Senate, where at least 10 Republicans would need to join with all 50 members of the Senate Democratic caucus to pass voting legislation in order to overcome a filibuster. Most Senate Republicans have dismissed attempts by Democrats to pass voting bills as reckless partisan overreach.Biden's decision to make a high-profile push on voting rights comes as a major pillar of his domestic agenda has stalled out, raising questions over what Democrats will be able to accomplish now, while they still control the White House and narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress.Late last year, Manchin said he could not support the sweeping social safety net expansion known as the Build Back Better Act. It is unclear if Democrats will be able to salvage any of the legislation in the aftermath of that setback.

WASHINGTON —

"I hope we can get this done. The honest to god answer is I don't know whether we can get this done," Biden said. "I hope we can get this done, but I'm not sure. But one thing for certain, like every other major civil rights bill that came along if we miss the first time we can come back and try a second time."

Biden arrived on Capitol Hill on Thursday afternoon as he continues to push for passage of voting legislation in Congress, despite the uphill battle Democrats face amid Republican opposition and resistance within their ranks to changing Senate rules.

"I don't know that we can get it done, but I know one thing: As long as I have a breath in me, as long as I'm in the White House as long as I'm enraged at all, I'm going to be fighting to change the way these legislatures are moving," the president added.

In a sign of the obstacles ahead, Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona reiterated her support for the filibuster, which sets up a 60-vote threshold for most legislation to pass in the Senate, in a speech not long before Biden's arrival on the Hill.

But Democratic leaders are pressing ahead anyway with a plan to bring up voting legislation in the Senate. In the first step toward that, the House of Representatives passed voting legislation Thursday morning ahead of Biden's visit.

The Democratic-controlled House approved a measure that combined key provisions of two voting bills: the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. It will next be sent to the Senate where a high-profile fight awaits.

Biden is planning to attend the Senate Democratic caucus lunch on Thursday to discuss the effort to pass voting bills and potential changes to Senate rules, a senior Democratic aide told CNN.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday that Biden plans to make the case directly to members for the new voting legislation.

"This is a defining moment that will divide everything before and everything after when the most fundamental American right that all others flow from, the right to vote and have your vote counted, is at risk," Psaki said on Wednesday. "He's heading up to the Hill tomorrow to speak to the caucus and make the strong case that you've heard him make publicly directly to members."

Biden's planned trip to Capitol Hill comes after the president called on the Senate in a forceful speech on Tuesday to change its filibuster rules in order to pass voting legislation.

The problem facing Democrats is that they don't have the votes to pass voting legislation under current Senate rules due to Republican opposition and they also do not appear to have the votes to change the rules.

Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sinema, two influential moderates, have long expressed opposition to eliminating the 60-vote threshold required to pass most legislation.

In a speech on the Senate floor on Thursday, Sinema warned against further partisan division and calls to do away with the filibuster.

"Eliminating the 60-vote threshold on a party line with the thinnest of possible majorities to pass these bills that I support will not guarantee that we prevent demagogues from winning office," she said. "Rather, eliminating the 60-vote threshold will simply guarantee that we lose a critical tool that we need to safeguard our democracy from threats in the years to come."

Manchin later praised Sinema's speech, telling reporters it was a "very good, excellent speech."

Democrats are under intense pressure from grassroots activists and their voters to pass legislation to safeguard voting access but have continually hit a wall in the Senate, where at least 10 Republicans would need to join with all 50 members of the Senate Democratic caucus to pass voting legislation in order to overcome a filibuster. Most Senate Republicans have dismissed attempts by Democrats to pass voting bills as reckless partisan overreach.

Biden's decision to make a high-profile push on voting rights comes as a major pillar of his domestic agenda has stalled out, raising questions over what Democrats will be able to accomplish now, while they still control the White House and narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress.

Late last year, Manchin said he could not support the sweeping social safety net expansion known as the Build Back Better Act. It is unclear if Democrats will be able to salvage any of the legislation in the aftermath of that setback.

��vlog