As Air Force One descended onto Selfridge Air National Guard Base on Thursday, Darren Riley, a 32-year-old Detroit native, braved the biting Michigan cold on the tarmac, eagerly awaiting President Joe Biden’s arrival. Earlier in the day, the Biden campaign had extended an unexpected invitation to Riley: a ride in the presidential motorcade. An opportunity he seized with enthusiasm.
Following his extraordinary encounter, Riley spoke with CNN, initially struggling to articulate his experience. “It was a shock,” he admitted. “I’m still processing it.”
President Biden was keen to share the luxuries of the presidential SUV with Riley, activating the seat massager for his guest’s comfort. As the motorcade navigated through the Detroit suburbs towards a local restaurant, They Say, in Harper Woods, the president initiated a deep conversation.
During the half-hour journey, Biden delved into Riley’s background, education, and his environmental tech company, JustAir. “He really asked me who I really am, and what I’m about,” Riley shared. This unexpected dialogue with the president was beyond anything Riley had ever imagined.
Without warning, Riley found himself in the surreal position of seeking advice from the president on a range of topics, from his company to leadership skills. “He grabbed my hand and looked at me in the eye,” Riley recalled. The president emphasized the importance of unity, regardless of differing opinions on significant or trivial matters.
The president’s visit to Michigan coincides with the campaign’s shift towards the general election. Following the New Hampshire primary, Biden’s team announced that former President Donald Trump had effectively secured the Republican nomination. The campaign plans to increase Biden’s travel and focus on retail politics, including local drop-bys and intimate settings for organic conversations.
The decision to spend time with Riley was a strategic move to allow the president to hear directly from a constituent. The campaign believes that personal testimonials hold more sway than ever, and one-on-one encounters can often have a deeper impact than campaign speeches or news articles.
Riley, who is Black, voted for Biden in 2020 and plans to do so again in 2024. He was pleasantly surprised to learn from the president that the unemployment rate among Black Americans had reached record lows under the Biden administration.
Despite the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict casting a shadow over Biden’s visit to Michigan, a state with a significant Arab-American population, the topic was not discussed. Riley, who resides in southwest Detroit and works with many Arab Americans, empathizes with the community’s pain. He and Biden broadly discussed the widespread suffering in the world.
Riley was particularly struck by the president’s mental acuity, contrary to some online clips highlighting Biden’s verbal missteps. “He talked about multiple topics, the things he’s juggling and navigating and processing. He is very sharp,” Riley said. “That man? He’s sharp. He’s with it.”
When asked if he planned to share his unique experience with loved ones, Riley revealed he had already begun – starting with his mother.