Biden apologizes for saying radio host 'ain't black' if undecided about U.S. election

By Jarrett Renshaw and Trevor Hunnicutt

 

FILE PHOTO: Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the 11th Democratic candidates debate of the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, held in CNN's Washington studios without an audience because of the global coronavirus pandemic, in Washington, U.S., March 15, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

 

(Reuters) - Former Vice President Joe Biden apologized on Friday for telling a black radio host that he "ain't black" if he was still weighing whether to support him or incumbent Donald Trump in the Nov. 3 U.S. presidential election.

 

The likely Democratic nominee's remarks to “The Breakfast Club" co-host Charlamagne tha God in an interview broadcast on Friday drew a swift rebuke from the Trump campaign and Republican supporters, as well as some black Democrats on Twitter.

 

“I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy," Biden said on a subsequent call with the U.S. Black Chambers Inc, an African-American business group. “I shouldn’t have been so cavalier.”

 

Biden, who served eight years as No. 2 to President Barack Obama, the first black U.S. president, added he has never taken black voters for granted and that no one should have to vote for somebody.

 

During the radio interview, recorded on Thursday, the popular host had challenged Biden over his long history on race issues.

 

As Charlamagne pressed Biden about whether he would select an African-American woman as vice president, a campaign aide could be heard trying to end the interview.

 

“You can’t do that to black media!” the radio host said.

 

Biden responded, “I do that to white media and black media because my wife has to go on at 6 o’clock.”

 

Charlamagne invited Biden back to the show, saying he had more questions ahead of the election.

 

“You’ve got more questions?” Biden replied. “Well, I tell you what, if you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.”

 

Biden called his record on racial issues "second to none." He and Charlamagne agreed he would come back on the show another time.

 

Before the apology, the Trump campaign organized a conference call with reporters where U.S. Senator Tim Scott, who is black, said Biden's comments were “arrogant and demeaning” and “negative race-baiting rhetoric.”

 

Biden adviser Symone Sanders said in a tweet that the remarks were made in jest.

 

"He was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trump’s any day. Period," she said.

 

(Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw and Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Howard Goller)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-23

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

 

All Biden has to do to win in November is KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT! I guess he's not capable of even that little thing. SMH!

And chose a young and vibrant and smart running mate, just in case!!!!

Unlike 4 years ago, come November, the Donald won't have his biggest asset, Hillary's unpopularity,

Geez... Biden makes a galactic, racist comment and goes viral in a matter of minutes with angry people by the millions and this article STILL manages to plug trump like 10 times ????

 

 

Had Trump said the opposite this thread, IMO, would be full of outraged anti Trumpers telling us how racist he is. So far nothing on those lines. Perhaps it depends on which way one votes as to how racist anything is.

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Had Trump said the opposite this thread, IMO, would be full of outraged anti Trumpers telling us how racist he is. So far nothing on those lines. Perhaps it depends on which way one votes as to how racist anything is.

The inexhaustible number of racist remarks Trump has made has numbed the public.

what a total embarrassment this guy is. when are these old clowns just going to go away. his generation has done a great job of destroying this planet and our future. i really wish they would all just hurry up and fade away so we can move forward. 

14 minutes ago, J Town said:

All Biden has to do to win in November is KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT! I guess he's not capable of even that little thing. SMH!

At least the guy 'walked back' his perceived gaff, something that trump never does, even for outright lies. Time article covering the interview...

 

https://time.com/5841790/joe-biden-cavalier-black-voters-comment/

2 minutes ago, simple1 said:

At least the guy 'walked back' his perceived gaff

 

Im not really sure how telling a person that they are not black unless they vote for him would be a 'perceived' gaff.... 

Biden was very probably right. However, being right in politics almost always guarantees opprobrium from the wailing Greek chorus of PC's.

IMO he was making the point any black person who votes for Trump needs a straitjacket.

Edited May 22, 20206 yr by Lacessit

1 minute ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Im not really sure how telling a person that they are not black unless they vote for him would be a 'perceived' gaff.... 

Spin, read the interview to understand the context

2 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Im not really sure how telling a person that they are not black unless they vote for him would be a 'perceived' gaff.... 

EXACTLY the problem - this is how he thinks! Every black voter in the US has a family member or friend who has done time because of Biden's incarceration policies.

Is Biden secretly working for Trump?

 

Trump 2020 guaranteed!

Democrats taking the black vote for granted again. Biden is a liability. These deeply held and ingrained views are supposed to remain behind locked doors, if they don't want to spook the electorate. They are just so toxic on every level, who will be voting for this band of merry misfits in November?

Just now, Kelsall said:

Is Biden secretly working for Trump?

 

Trump 2020 guaranteed!

Starting to look that way now. Heavy sigh . . .

4 minutes ago, J Town said:

EXACTLY the problem - this is how he thinks! Every black voter in the US has a family member or friend who has done time because of Biden's incarceration policies.

 

Yeah hes a Democrat though, they get special privileges like doing things you note above, then go on to tell black voters that Romney wants "to put y'all back in chains" after putting thousands of black Americans in literal chains. 

36 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

Geez... Biden makes a galactic, racist comment and goes viral in a matter of minutes with angry people by the millions and this article STILL manages to plug trump like 10 times ????

 

 

seems like it is the same for both parties, don't you think, come on man take your blinders off

Biden seems to be Trumps best chance of being reelected.

Can't Biden's staff get him a mask that allows someone smarter to speak through, ventriloquist style.

15 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Can't Biden's staff get him a mask that allows someone smarter to speak through, ventriloquist style.

 

They are doing the best they can with a walking corpse. Part of the context for the racist comment he made was an aide trying to get Biden off the line which can be heard in the interview. 

 

Teleprompters, ear pieces, computers in front of biden to show answers to questions and when to get off the line... All not enough for someone who is on their way out, mentally. 

This may be an historically low minority voter turnout and that would hurt only one party

Shocking his obvious entitlement and senility. 

1 hour ago, J Town said:

All Biden has to do to win in November is KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT! I guess he's not capable of even that little thing. SMH!

They are able to keep him out of debates. They script his "virtual town halls". Yet, he still can't stay out of trouble. 

Maybe they need to disconnect his phone and take away his computer. 

 

Edited May 23, 20206 yr by Curt1591

1 hour ago, J Town said:

The inexhaustible number of racist remarks Trump has made has numbed the public.

What racist comments?

Old white guy, friend to racist Democrat senators, now says he gets to decide who's black and who's not over black people themselves. Clearly, Biden doesn't think much of black people.

 

But what should we expect from a man who thinks Barack Obama was the first mainstream black man to be clean, bright and articulate. That's story book, man!

Edited May 23, 20206 yr by Crazy Alex

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Democrats taking the black vote for granted again. Biden is a liability. These deeply held and ingrained views are supposed to remain behind locked doors, if they don't want to spook the electorate. They are just so toxic on every level, who will be voting for this band of merry misfits in November?

Very likely a great deal more direct votes for the Dems as in the 2016 election. Have to wait and see the antiquated Electoral College results with their undemocratic 48 State winner takes all rules, combined with how successful trump admin is with its corrupt voter suppression efforts against the Dems base.

Does this force old Joe to pick race baiter Stacey Abrams as his VP now?  ????

Biden was joking around. 

I get the joke. 

So do the vast majority of black people that would vote for a cabbage rather than 45.

It was not a racist comment.

In fact playing around like that will tend to gin up  the black vote for Biden. 

10 minutes ago, nattaya09 said:

Does this force old Joe to pick race baiter Stacey Abrams as his VP now?  ????

 

Or Kamala, the super Karen. 

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Biden was joking around. 

I get the joke. 

So do the vast majority of black people that would vote for a cabbage rather than 45.

It was not a racist comment.

In fact playing around like that will tend to gin up  the black vote for Biden. 

 

I love it when non-black liberals take the liberty of clarifying a racist comment and opine on how black Americans will interpret said racist comments. 

 

Always good for a little LOL