Former Vice President Joe Biden told a group of mostly Asian and Hispanic voters in Iowa on Wednesday that poor children are just as smart as “white kids.”
“We should challenge students in these schools and have advanced placement programs in these schools,” Biden said. “We have this notion that somehow if you’re poor, you cannot do it. Poor kids are just as bright, just as talented, as white kids.”
Perhaps realizing his gaffe, Biden added: “Wealthy kids, black kids, Asian kids, no I really mean it, but think how we think about it.”
Democratic front-runner Joe Biden raised eyebrows on the campaign trail after what appeared to be a slip of the tongue during a speech in Iowa. @MitchellReports has the latest. pic.twitter.com/rJt3gPueEo
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) August 9, 2019
While the remarks were seemingly a slip of the tongue, Biden’s been criticized for his record on race in recent weeks, particularly his past views on busing as a means of desegregation and his remarks about working with segregationist lawmakers in the past. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) called out Biden during the first round of Democratic presidential debates, in an exchange that went viral and boosted Harris’ polling numbers significantly.
