Politics

Interviews with students at two historically black colleges in Orangeburg — South Carolina State and Claflin universities — reveal a glaring generation gap: a chasm separating what the students say is important to their lives, and what older officials believe ought to be important. Biden wants to talk about broadband; the students want to talk about civilian deaths in Gaza. Democrats tout a road widening project along Interstate 26 in Columbia underwritten by Biden’s infrastructure program; the students are focused on “food deserts” that contribute to diabetes and obesity.

Asked if they believe elected officials are addressing such issues, a chorus of voices filled a campus conference room: “No.”

Some of the students objected to what they saw as a transactional mentality underpinning Biden's case for reelection: Goodies in return for votes. Christian Nathaniel, an 18-year-old Claflin student, was among those whose home was wired for broadband last year. “You’re doing these things as a last-ditch chance to beat Trump and get over it a little bit," said Nathaniel, who wants to be a doctor and eventually run for elective office. "'Now you’ve got internet, so hopefully you can give me a vote.'" He said he plans to vote for Biden, albeit reluctantly. "This is my first time voting and this is very discouraging to the young Black voter," he said, adding that he is not "confident in either of the choices." "We're picking the lesser of two evils," Nathaniel said.

Ginning up excitement isn’t so easy, though. Jaime Harrison, a Black South Carolinian who chairs the Democratic National Committee, turned up at a party breakfast in Spartanburg recently to rally support for Biden. All went fine as the audience listened to his speech over a breakfast of grits and eggs. Then, when Harrison finished, 36-year-old Amia Harrison approached to say she was fed up with “voting blue no matter who.”

Harrison listened a bit and then turned away with a clipped, “I appreciate you.”