Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden triggered a fresh controversy on Friday morning when he suggested that if American voters supported Donald Trump “then you ain’t black”.
The former vice-president did an interview with Charlamagne tha God, a co-host of the radio show The Breakfast Club. Charlamagne had pressed Biden on a number of issues, including the legalization of marijuana and his choice of running mate.
After a campaign aide interjected to say Biden had to wrap it up, Charlamagne said, “Listen, you’ve got to come see us when you come to New York, VP Biden. It’s a long way until November. We’ve got more questions.”
“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.”
“It don’t have nothing to do with Trump,” Charlamagne protested. “It has to do with the fact – I want something for my community.”
“Take a look at my record, man!” Biden said, before claiming his decades-long record as a senator and vice-president was “second to none”.
Biden’s comments immediately attracted criticism on social media and the Trump campaign and other leading figures jumped on the gaffe.
The Republican senator Tim Scott, who is black, noted the number of African Americans who voted for Trump in 2016 and said Democrats were taking the black community for granted.
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.” 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.
— Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) May 22, 2020
A Trump campaign senior adviser, Mercedes Schlapp, also weighed in, and the campaign immediately began fundraising from the incident.
This is disgusting.
Joe Biden: “If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t Black.” pic.twitter.com/UvYZTjcPqZ
— Trump War Room – Text TRUMP to 88022 & get the APP (@TrumpWarRoom) May 22, 2020
Schlapp compared the moment to Hillary Clinton describing some of her Republican rival’s supporters as a “basket of deplorables” in 2016.
Black Voices for Trump, an advisory board to the president’s re-election campaign, released a statement condemning Joe Biden’s comments this morning.
“Biden has a history of racial condescension and today he once again proved what a growing number of black Americans and I have always known: Joe Biden does not deserve our votes,” said senior campaign adviser Katrina Pierson.
Biden has previously been criticized for some of his comments on race, such as when he reminisced about the former “civility” of the Senate by recalling his work with two senators who opposed racial integration.
Some liberal voices also expressed their anger on social media.
Oh my god.This is mortifying (on Biden’s behalf for that gratuitous use of “ain’t”) and revolting (on my own behalf) for that condescending racial essentialism. I say this as someone who would vote for my son’s diaper over Trump. https://t.co/nlfDjbgOGx
— Thomas Chatterton Williams 🌍 🎧 (@thomaschattwill) May 22, 2020
Biden has been campaigning from his basement during the coronavirus pandemic.
Also white people got to decide who is black and who isn’t for a very long time in this country, and it didn’t work out well so we’re not doing that anymore, thanks.
— Adam Serwer🍝 (@AdamSerwer) May 22, 2020
Biden later apologized for the comment. He told black business leaders on a phone call: “I shouldn’t have been so cavalier … No one should have to vote for any party based on their race, their religion, their background.”
Source: US Politics - theguardian.com
