Joe Biden ignited a racially charged firestorm on Friday when he told the popular host of a nationally syndicated Big Apple radio show that African American voters “ain’t black” if they were still considering voting for President Trump in November.
The former vice president’s remarks came during a testy interview on “The Breakfast Club” in which host Charlamagne tha God, who is African American, challenged Biden over his record on racial issues and whether he was seriously considering a black female running mate.
“I’m not acknowledging anybody who is being considered, but I guarantee you: There are multiple black women being considered. Multiple,” Biden said of his vice presidential search before an aide could be heard trying to cut the interview short.
“Thank you so much. That’s really our time. I apologize,” the aide said.
“You can’t do that to black media!” Charlamagne, real name Lenard Larry McKelvey, said.
“I do that to white media and black media because my wife has to go on at 6 o’clock,” Biden, 77, snapped back, apparently referring to a planned media appearance by Jill Biden.
“Listen, you’ve got to come see us when you come to New York, VP Biden,” Charlamagne, 41, said. “It’s a long way until November. We’ve got more questions.”
“You’ve got more questions?” Biden responded. “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 said. “It has to do with the fact that I want something for my community.”
The remarks by Biden, who is the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, sparked immediate condemnation online and drew sharp criticism from Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black Republican in the Senate.
“That is the most arrogant, condescending comment I’ve heard in a long time, and that’s saying something,” Scott said on Fox News.
“If you think about the numbers, 1.3 million African Americans voted for Trump. He’s saying to 1.3 million African Americans, ‘You’re not black’? Who the heck does he think he is?” he continued.
In a statement to Mediaite addressing the exchange, Charlamagne said Democrats had taken the support of black voters for granted for too long — a bruising critique given how important the African American vote was in resurrecting Biden’s once-doomed primary run.
“We have been loyal to Democrats for a long time. Black people have invested a lot into that party and the return on investment has not been great,” he wrote.
“As Biden said in our brief interview when I asked him if Dems owe the black community ABSOLUTELY was his answer. So let’s see what you got!!!” he continued.
“Votes are Quid Pro Quo. You can’t possibly want me to Fear Trump MORE than I want something for my people.”
Symone Sanders, a black senior adviser to Biden, claimed on Twitter that the former veep’s remarks were made “in jest” and defended his record with the black community.
“Vice President Biden spent his career fighting alongside and for the African-American community,” she tweeted.
Biden tried to walk back the comments hours later in a call with African American business leaders, telling them he had acted like a “wiseguy” in the interview.
“I should not have been so cavalier. I’ve never, never, ever taken the African American community for granted,” Biden told members of the US Black Chambers, according to a report by CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe.
“I shouldn’t have been such a wiseguy,” he continued.
“I shouldn’t have been so cavalier . . . No one should have to vote for any party based on their race, their religion, their background.”
