first official Democratic primary of the year.

Four years ago, Black voters in South Carolina# rescued Joe fueled in large part by an endorsement# from Congressman James Clyburn.

That South## Carolina victory put then-candidate# Biden on a path to the White House.

I spoke with Congressman Clyburn# earlier today about the president's## standing among the Democratic base and# with Black Americans in pa Congressman Clyburn, thanks# so much for being with us.

REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D-SC): Thank# you ve GEOFF BENNETT: So I know you bu t, more broadly, a December# Associated Press poll found that## 50 percent of Black adults said# they approve of President Biden,## but that's compared with 86 percent who# said the same thing back in July of 2021.

What do you think accounts for# that slip in support overall?

REP. JAMES CLYBURN: Well, I don't think# there's been a big slip in support.

I think that people expressed themselves at# the time t back at the time this poll was taking# place, I was asking questions about## people who believed what they# were seeing on social media.

The best example I know is on student loan# debt relief.

Joe Biden had promised that,## and that was a big, big deal in the African# American community.

And when he offered his## programs to reduce or eliminate that# debt, he got sued.

And that lawsuit## was lost.

And everybody focused on# the fact that he lost the lawsuit.

Nobody focused on the fact that there were# four other categories that he was working## on which had resulted in $137 billion in# debt elimination for 3.7 million people.## That was not being reported.

And there# was never a report in South Carolina## about that until Joe Biden came# to South Carolina Emanuel Church.

I introduced him that day, and I decided# to go a different route in introducing the## president.

And I brought that up.

Immediately,# they started reporting on it.

Found one young## lady at South Carolina State, my alma# mater, where we're going to be this## afternoon.

She had gotten $256,000 dollars in# debt relief, and h And these kinds of things have# people thinking that Joe Biden## had not kept any promises.

People didn't# tie these programs like the Rescue Act,## the largest infrastructure bill in the# history.

Now here in South Carolina,## we are improving roads and bridges like we have# never done before.

That is because of Joe Biden's## bipartisan infrastructure bill, but people# didn't tie that to him, insulin $35 a month.

My late wife was spending upwards of $800 a# month on the insulin for the diabetes that## she lost her life to.

Now you're saying, people# on Medicare, you got a cap of $35 a month.

So## these things were not being reported# to the American people sufficiently.

Now that people are hearing about# them, you're getting the word out,## not to mention the job support this# morning, double what people had projected,## the growth in the economy last quarter# double what people had projected.

Joe## Biden is doing what he said he would do, and# the American people are beginning to feel it.

And that's why you got those numbers.

I# guarantee you, you will see.

Check the Black## precincts tomorrow night, and I guarantee# you will see great approval of Joe Biden.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, you recently said that you# were concerned about the Biden campaign's ability## to reach Black voters and that the campaign,# in your words, needed to flood the zone.

What more should the Biden campaign,## in your view, be doing?

REP. JAMES CLY I'm talking about now, flood the zo of getting it out there, using social media,# using digital stuff, using boots on the ground.

Look, this campaign is going to be won on turnout.# Now, how best to turn voters out?

I maintain## that the best way to turn voters out is not on# television.

It's on the ground.

You have got to## get boots on the ground.

And we have got to make# a significant investment in boots on the ground.

GEOFF BENNETT: Congressman, there was# a moment during the 2020 campaign when## then-candidate Biden referred# to himself as a transitional## candidate, a bridge to the next# generation of Democratic talent.

Of course, President Biden has every right to run# again, but there are Democrats but who question, given his age,# why he didn't pass the torch.

(LAUGHTER) REP. JAMES CLYBU someone's transition.

Is it transition# for four years or for eight years?

He is a transitional president, moving# from the debacle of the Trump years## into laying a foundation for the future# of our party.

And he is going to pass## the torch to a younger generation,# to a more progressive generation.## And -- but he's not going to do it on# anybody else's timetable, but his own.

And so I don't know why people think they have a## right to tell you how long the# transition period ought to be.

GEOFF BENNETT: There's little doubt that Joe Biden## will emerge as the winner but what do you hope the overall message# is coming out of South Carolina tomorrow?

REP. JAMES CLYBURN: That the majority# of the voters in the Democratic primary## in South Carolina will pick freedom# and democracy over autocracy any day.

This is about the future.

And I hope the time will# come in this election that the American people## will see that they have a responsibility.

This is# not the Democratic Party's responsibility.

This## is this country's responsibility to maintain# this democracy and to maintain the freedoms.

And I would hope that that's the# message that comes out tomorrow night.

GEOFF BENNETT: That is South Carolina# Democratic Congressman James Clyburn.

Thanks so much for your time.

REP. JAMES CLYBURN: Thank