Right now, you cannot talk about the Democratic race
without talking about Joe Biden.
Not only is he the frontrunner
and former host of The Price Is Right,
but he’s been leading in the polls
since the day he announced his run.
But that doesn’t mean it’s been smooth sailing.
He took heat for flip-flopping on a major abortion policy,
he faced questions about his voting record,
and, of course, we all remember
when he had to apologize for giving people surprise massages.
Yes. Now, "surprise" being the operative word.
Because massages are nice,
but nobody wants a surprise massage.
Yeah. Just like a road trip is great,
but a surprise road trip is just kidnapping.
And this week... (chuckles)
this week, Biden has continued his scandal streak
with comments he made about missing the old days.
Joe Biden is under fire this evening
on comments he made about working
alongside segregationist senators in the past.
REPORTER: Biden recalling his early Senate career,
bringing up two segregationist senators,
Herman Talmadge and James Eastland,
who called African-Americans an inferior race.
(reading):
Biden made the comments despite his aides having long urged him
not to discuss his relationships with segregationist senators.
Joe Biden, what are you doing?
You can’t come out in 2019
and say that these two senators from back in the day
were super racist, but at least they were civil.
Yeah, civil to you maybe.
Of course they never called you "boy."
You’re white.
Biden’s running around like, "I worked with these senators--
"Senator Eastland many times--
"and not once did he call me the "N" word.
"Yeah. Oh, I mean, there was that one time,
uh, but I had a tan, so I understand."
(laughter)
Now, now, the reason Joe Biden told this story--
even though his advisors told him not to--
is because he’s trying to set himself up
as the guy who can work with adversaries in Congress,
even if he disagrees with their views.
The problem is, by saying this,
he may have created new adversaries
within his own party.
Those comments have prompted swift criticism
from his 2020 rivals,
including Kamala Harris, who weighed in moments ago.
To coddle the reputations of segregationists,
of people who, if they had their way,
I would literally not be standing here
as a member of the United States Senate,
is, I think, um... It’s just...
It’s misinformed, and it’s wrong.
Now Senator Cory Booker was among the first candidates
to come out and-and push back on Biden for these comments.
He said...
Yeah. I get what these senators are saying.
You see, for many people,
it felt like Joe Biden was saying
that being polite was more important than not being racist,
which is not how black people feel.
No black person’s like,
"I know they think we’re subhuman as a species,
but at least they said, ’Go back to Africa, please.’"
(laughter)
And now I... I would believe...
I would believe it if Biden said
that his story wasn’t meant to offend black people,
and that his comments were taken the wrong way,
but he definitely didn’t help himself
when he responded to the criticism like this.
This morning, a defiant Joe Biden is refusing calls
to apologize for comments that he made
about finding common ground
with a senator who supported segregation.
I ran for the United States Senate because I disagreed
with the views of the segregationists.
The point I’m making is, you don’t have to agree.
WOMAN 1: Are you going to apologize...
WOMAN 2: All right, thanks, guys.
-...like Cory Booker has called for? -Apologize for what?
WOMAN 1: Cory Booker’s called for it.
-He’s asking you. -Cory should apologize.
He knows better.
There’s not a racist bone in my body.
I’ve been involved in civil rights my whole career.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, Joe.
Not a racist bone in your body? Who said you were racist?
People said your comments were tone deaf,
and now, you’re like, "I don’t have a racist bone in my body.
This one was from texting too much!"
(laughter)
Cory didn’t say he was racist.
Kamala didn’t say he was racist.
He just comes out, "I’m not racist!"
It’s like a cop pulls you over and is like,
"Excuse me, sir. Do you know how fast you were going?,"
and you’re like, "I did not kidnap anyone!
"That was a surprise road trip, Officer!
Maybe you should apologize!"
Because what the (bleep) was that about?
I can’t believe Joe Biden told Cory Booker to apologize,
which, by the way, which, by the way,
undermines Biden’s whole entire point.
This whole thing started because he’s selling himself
as someone who knows how to work in a civil way
with people he disagrees with.
Yeah, but when senators in his own party disagree with him,
his response is basically, "Eat shit!"
(laughter)
So a week before the Democratic debates kick off,
clearly, the pressure is starting to build,
and Joe Biden is the frontrunner.
Look, man, you better get used to criticism,
because everyone is gonna be watching what you say.
Instead of snapping at people, you got to learn
to keep your cool, you got to relax.
In fact, maybe...
maybe you should give yourself one of those surprise massages.