BET co-founder Robert L. Johnson had a blistering
reaction to Joe Biden's remarks that have sparked accusations of
racism regarding how black Americans vote in the upcoming election.
The presumptive Democratic presidential
nominee raised eyebrows during an interview with Charlamagne tha God on the radio show
"The Breakfast Club" as he defended his record with the black
community.
“I tell you if you have a problem figuring out whether
you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black,” Biden said.
Johnson slammed the former vice president and suggested
he apologize to "every black person he meets."
"Vice President Biden’s statement today represents
the arrogant and out-of-touch attitude of a paternalistic white candidate who
has the audacity to tell Black people, the descendants of slaves, that they are
not Black unless they vote for him," Johnson told Fox
News. "This proves unequivocally that the Democratic nominee believes
that Black people owe him their vote without question; even though, we as Black
people know it is exactly the opposite. He should spend the rest of his
campaign apologizing to every Black person he meets."
Later Friday, Biden walked back those remarks during a conversation with
black business leaders, stopping short of a full apology.
"I've never ever taken the African-American
community for granted, had their support ... I shouldn't have been such a
wise guy. I shouldn't have been so cavalier," Biden said. "I don't
take it for granted at all, and no one, no one should have to vote for any
party, based on their race or religion or background."
This walk back is a shift from what the statement Biden
campaign senior adviser Symone Sanders issued earlier in the day, insisting
that Biden's remarks were "in jest."
The comments made at the
end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest, but let’s be clear about what
the VP was saying: he was making the distinction that he would put his record
with the African American community up against Trump’s any day. Period.
Biden's remarks sparked condemnation from the Trump
campaign, Republican lawmakers, and supporters of his former primary competitor
Sen. Bernie Sanders.
However, it's unclear whether some prominent black groups
will weigh in on the controversy. Fox News has reached out to the NAACP and the
Congressional Black Caucus for comment.
Fox News' Bret Baier, Paul Steinhauser, Madeleine Rivera,
Allie Raffa, Marisa Schultz, and Morgan Phillips contributed to
this report.
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Liberal professor says Biden interview 'shows
how Democrats take Black votes for granted'
By Sam Dorman | Fox News
Liberal professor and commentator Marc Lamont Hill had
some biting criticism for Democrats on Friday as former
Vice President Joe Biden faced backlash for suggesting black voters
weren't authentically black if they supported President Trump.
"Joe Biden’s comments demonstrate how Democrats take
Black votes for granted," tweeted Hill, who hosts BET
News. "It’s sad how often Democratic candidates become indignant when
asked about an actual Black agenda. His response, whatever his intention, was reflective
of a broader and deeper problem."
He also called Biden out for previous comments he made
about Republicans trying to put black people "back in chains." For
Hill, Biden's "smug and condescending" interview that day had broader
implications for the way black people related to Democrats.
"This Joe Biden interview is precisely why we gotta
stop giving White people 'invitations to the cookout' or fictive kinship
status like 'uncle.' We can no longer applaud and reward liberal white people
for showing basic decency or, worse, merely hiding their racism."
Hill's comments represented just some of the many attacks
on Biden's remarks. “I tell you if you have a problem figuring out whether
you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black,” Biden said during an epsiode of
"The Breakfast Club" on Friday.
…
Biden's comments created a media firestorm, prompting
leading political figures to criticize him.
"He truly believes that he, a 77-year-old white man,
should dictate how Black people should behave,” Trump senior
adviser Katrina Pierson said in a statement.
…
Biden's record on race came under scrutiny earlier in the
campaign season when he defended working with segregationist senators. He also
notably described then-Sen. Barack Obama as "the first mainstream
African-American who is articulate and bright and clean."
Fox News' Paul Steinhauser, Allie Raffa, and
Madeleine Rivera contributed to this report.
Sam
Dorman is a reporter with Fox News. You can follow him on Facebook here.
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