2020 candidate Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) on Sunday criticized Joe Biden’s defensive response to heightened scrutiny on his policies and comments on race.
“We all have [imperfections], but when it comes to difficult issues with race, if you can’t talk openly and honestly about your own development on these issues, I think it’s very hard to lead our country forward so that we actually can deal with our past and rise to a better common cause and common future,” Booker told “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd.
“Right now the vice president to me is not doing a good job at bringing folks together,” the New Jersey Democrat said. “In fact, he’s – and I’ve heard this from people all around the country – he’s causing a lot of frustration and even pain with his words.”
Biden’s spotty history with race resurfaced once again this week after Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) took him to task during the Thursday night debate over his opposition to busing and his friendly relationships with hardline segregationists in Congress. Biden claimed Harris was mischaracterizing his position on busing.
Then on Friday, the former vice president had another verbal gaffe while discussing discrimination against black people in the criminal justice system.
“We’ve got to recognize that kid wearing a hoodie may very well be the next poet laureate and not a gangbanger,” Biden said.
Biden’s campaign spokesman later issued a statement saying that Biden was “calling direct attention to the daily experienced faced by many African-American men around the country and the perceived so-called ‘threat’” from people like Trayvon Martin.
Watch Booker below:
Booker on Biden's repeated slip-ups with race: "He's caused a lot of frustration and even pain with his words." pic.twitter.com/SlRi7bq6EJ
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) June 30, 2019
