So here’s further proof that the Democratic Party has an abusive relationship with black Americans. Biden, in particular, has a well documented history of mistreating black people, verbally and politically. For someone who claims to care about blacks, Biden is famous for callously remarking, “Lock the SOBs up.’” Black people were arrested in droves following this 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act despite comparable drug use rates to white people; many are still sitting in prison today. Does Biden really have black interests at heart like he says he does?
Anyway, the more he talks, the more goofs and blunders. I say give him the mic and hours of uninterrupted speech and watch him self-immolate.
By Astead W. Herndon and Katie Glueck
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[li]May 22, 2020[/li][/ul]
Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, apologized Friday afternoon for telling a radio host that black voters torn between voting for him and President Trump“ain’t black,” remarks that ignited a firestorm online.
“I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy,” Mr. Biden said in a call with the U.S. Black Chambers. “I shouldn’t have been so cavalier.” He later said that he had not been expected to join the call, a possible sign of a hastily arranged appearance.
Mr. Biden’s remarks came hours after a testy exchange with Charlamagne Tha God, a host on “The Breakfast Club,” a nationally syndicated morning show popular with black millennials. In the interview, during which the former vice president sidestepped a question about marijuana legalization and his running mate selection, Mr. Biden also made clear that he felt there was no reason black Americans would consider voting for Mr. Trump.
“If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump then you ain’t black,” Mr. Biden said.
The remark sparked immediate pushback on social media, with liberal activists and conservatives alike jumping on Mr. Biden, 77, for acting as the arbiter of blackness. His words also exposed wounds among Democrats that date to 2016, when many leaders felt the party took black voters for granted.
“I don’t take it for granted at all,” he said later Friday. “No one, no one, should have to vote for any party based on their race, their religion, their background. There are African-Americans who think that Trump was worth voting for. I don’t think so, I’m prepared to put my record against his. That was the bottom line and it was, it was really unfortunate.”
This is not the first time Mr. Biden has had to walk back a remark related to race. Last summer, after weeks of criticism, he apologized for warmly reminiscing about working relationships with segregationist senators.
Despite that and a series of other controversies throughout the primary, Mr. Biden was the overwhelming favorite of older black voters, who played the central role in reviving his candidacy after bruising early losses. Now, though, as he competes against Mr. Trump and his unified Republican base, Mr. Biden is also seeking to win over and energize younger, more progressive black voters who were skeptical of him in the primary.
The Trump campaign has seized on Mr. Biden’s earlier remarks. On a call with reporters Friday, a top adviser, Katrina Pierson, and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black Republican in the Senate, rapped Mr. Biden for the comment.
“Joe Biden has a history of saying dehumanizing things when it comes to black Americans,” Ms. Pierson added.
Mr. Scott accused Mr. Biden of “negative race-baiting.”
But Ms. Pierson grew defensive in response to questions about Mr. Trump’s own history of racist remarks, a record Mr. Biden highlighted on the Friday afternoon call.
She pointed to Mr. Trump’s efforts on issues like criminal justice reform, and said that compares favorably to the crime bill of the early 1990s that Mr. Biden supported.
“I know the president and I know his heart and I know his intent,” she said, accusing the news media of taking Mr. Trump “out of context.”
Mr. Scott released a statement on Twitter before the call with reporters, reminding Mr. Biden that “1.3 million black Americans already voted for Trump in 2016.”
“This morning, Joe Biden told every single one of us we ‘ain’t black,’” Mr. Scott said. “I’d say I’m surprised, but it’s sadly par for the course for Democrats to take the black community for granted and brow beat those that don’t agree.”
Symone Sanders, a senior adviser for Mr. Biden, said in a tweet after Mr. Biden’s radio appearance that the comments were in jest.
In another part of the interview, Mr. Biden assured the radio host that he intended to inspire black voters in the general election. Using the appeal that worked for him in the Democratic primary, Mr. Biden said black voters knew him and his record, and would value his close kinship with former President Barack Obama.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/22/us/politics/joe-biden-black-breakfast-club.html