Biden regrets saying black is "not black" if he thinks he will vote Trump

Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden said on Friday he regretted his "unfortunate" remarks after causing an uproar by telling a radio host that he was "not black" if he thought of voting for his rival Donald Trump in November. "I shouldn't have been so flippant," said the 77-year-old former vice president, regretting his "annoying" remarks . "Nobody should have to vote for a party on the basis of their race, religion, origins," said former Barack Obama's right-hand man, journalists who attended his call to an organization promoting economic development insisted. of African Americans, the National Black Chamber of Commerce.

The controversy started from an interview given to Charlamagne tha God, a personality who co-presents a popular New York radio show, The Breakfast Club , broadcast on Friday. When Joe Biden said he had to end the interview, after about 17 minutes, the host replied, "Look, you have to come see us when you come to New York (...) We have more of questions ” to ask before the presidential election of November 3. "Do you have more questions?" I'll tell you, if you have a problem deciding whether you are for me or for Trump, then you are not black, " replied Joe Biden.

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The Donald Trump team called the exchange "disgusting" on Twitter, and the son of the Republican billionaire, Donald Trump Junior, said that Joe Biden had "a disgusting and dehumanizing racist mentality . " Tim Scott, the only black Republican senator, reacted by pointing out that "1.3 million black Americans had already voted for Trump in 2016. This morning Joe Biden told each of us that we were not black" . "I could say that I am surprised, but unfortunately that corresponds to the tendency of the democrats to think that the voices of the Blacks are gained in advance" , he continued.

An argument that could hit home with some black voters who regret that in 2016, the Democrats and Hillary Clinton thought that their votes were just "won in advance" and therefore did not campaign enough with them, lowering their participation compared to the Obama years. However, the mobilization of this electorate will be crucial for Joe Biden to hope to win the presidential election on November 3. "I never, never considered that African-Americans were won in advance," he also took care to emphasize in his apologies.

Unfortunately, this corresponds to the tendency of Democrats to think that the voices of blacks are won in advance.

He insisted that he was ready at any time to compare his record on the subject with that of Donald Trump, whose remarks he recalled which had caused scandal, as when he called African states "shit country" . He also accused him of implementing policies that harm blacks. Donald Trump has been regularly accused of racism and of maintaining ambiguity towards white nationalists. It remains unpopular with black voters.

Asked about the controversy, host Charlamagne yha God said that "blacks have invested a lot in this party (democrat, note) and the return on investment has not been great" . "You can't ask me to be more afraid of Trump than to want something for mine," he said in a statement to Mediaite. Known for his blunders, Joe Biden is very popular with the black electorate, who carried him to victory in the Democratic primary by offering him an overwhelming score in South Carolina, at the end of February, allowing him to return to the head of racing in one of the most spectacular returns in American political history.

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In the same interview, the Democratic candidate denounced the management by the Trump administration of the coronavirus pandemic, which strikes blacks in several regions in a disproportionate way: "This crisis exposes to light the institutional racism which still prevails in our country. society ” .

The presenter noted on the other hand that some exhorted him to choose a black candidate for the vice-presidency since "the blacks saved your political life in the primary" democrat. Joe Biden replied that he was thinking of "many black women" . In the forecasts include the senator and ex-presidential candidate Kamala Harris, as well as the ex-candidate for the post of governor of Georgia Stacey Abrams, or the elected member of the House of Representatives Val Demings.