Biden: 'If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black'

[alp227]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by JudyM (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Last edited Fri May 22, 2020, 03:27 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Politico

Former Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday emphatically defended his ties to the African American community — telling a popular black radio personality that he “ain’t black” if he was still weighing whether to support Biden or President Donald Trump in November’s general election.

The remarks from the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee came during an at-times contentious interview on “The Breakfast Club” that aired Friday morning, during which co-host Charlamagne tha God challenged Biden over his decadeslong record on racial issues and current contemplation of a black, female running mate.

[...]

“Listen, you’ve got to come see us when you come to New York, VP Biden,” Charlamagne said. “It’s a long way until November. We’ve got more questions.”

“You’ve got more questions?” Biden replied. “Well, I tell you what, if you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.”

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/22/joe-biden-breakfast-club-interview-274490

---

Video of the interview (corrected: ~18 minutes):

[LymphocyteLover]

1. cue the rightwing outrage

whatever... I get his point

[Proud liberal 80]

11. Exactly

And didn’t Trump say something similar about Jewish people who don’t vote republican aren’t Jewish

[theaocp]

23. Bazinga.

They're great at making deals. He doesn't need to tell them that. Mon dieu.

[caber09]

2. Did you actually watch the video?

It's a pretty good interview with good questions, Biden did pretty well, at the end they were bantering back and forth smiling and joking with each other, the narrative or the attempted narrative on this is BS...the articles I have seen on this make it seem like they were arguing which couldnt be further from the truth..they even ended it by looking forward to doing this again in person.

[LymphocyteLover]

25. this is what I hate about the media-- how they take a solid interview and

take out one soundbite to pick on and everything else gets lost

[LovingA2andMI]

4. 30 Minute Interview.....

One line is the headline from a 30 minute interview? Really? Cue the outrage but why is one line from a 30 minute interview allowed to be the Headline of so-called "Breaking News" on DU?

[LakeArenal]

9. Because too many folks judge on sound bites.

[relayerbob]

22. Because this isn't "breaking news" it's just one person's attempt to sow discord

[alp227]

39. Correction: 18 minutes

Still, the media chases what brings clicks

[Archae]

5. This guy doing the intervew sounds like a grandstanding nothingburger.

I just read at his Wikipedia entry, that he compared Liz Warren to that white woman who was pretending to be black, to get attention.

[Celerity]

18. I think you may need to brush up on A-A media, especially the under 40 demo

The Breakfast Club is very influential, they have millions of viewers and listeners on a multitude of platforms

and calling Charlamagne Tha God some 'nothingburger' really reinforces my first part

at times there is such a generational and cultural disconnect on this board

very frustrating, but I generally hold my tongue


cheers

[padah513]

38. Agreed

I didn't take offense because I knew exactly what Biden meant. His spokesperson said it was said in jest. I'll take her at her word though I didn't feel an explanation was necessary. As far as I'm concerned he's right. I don't see how ANY minority could vote for Trump. And another thing. The first person I ever heard calling something a 'nothing burger' was that Trump kid on Fox News. Maybe that poster should use another word or phrase rather than some rightwing trope from some racist's son to describe an AA radio personality.

[The Mouth]

51. I've heard that phrase going back at least 3 or 4 years

maybe five.

Edited to add:
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nothingburger

[Hoyt]

6. Get what he was saying, OK with it, but jeez people shouldn't be stereotyped so much.

[Roc2020]

7. ...or muslim or lgbt or asian or

latino....that 'ain't' could go before any number of minorities.

[maxsolomon]

8. I have a few African American acquaintences from High School

who were rabid Trumpists in 2016. these were men (of course) in their early 50s.

no clue where they stand now; I don't need Trumpists in my life.

[demmiblue]

10. That was unfortunate. n/t

[caber09]

15. Did you watch the video?

this is a big nothing burger unless we give it legs, it was a good interview with good questions, Biden and him had a rapport, they were joking and laughing at the end, enough with spreading this BS.

[elleng]

20. BIG nothing burger.

[LanternWaste]

33. More or less unfortunate than a pretense of concern?

[demmiblue]

35. Lol... your obsession with attacking your fellow DUers is notable.

[NNadir]

12. I'm old, fat, white, & male, but when I vote for Joe Biden, as much as I might hope...

...for movement to another demographic, I will still be old, fat, white and male.

[awesomerwb1]

13. More clickbait from Politico.

[Bleacher Creature]

14. Yeah, so vote for the guy who just praised Henry Ford!

And who called actual Nazis "very fine people."

I'm just not seeing it.

[IronLionZion]

16. Love it!

Very good interview. Looking forward to the RW media fake outrage about this too.

Taken out of context it sounds bad. But it's probably fine.

[djacq]

17. Truth be told... Thank You Joe.

The Trump Campaign shouldn't go down this rabbit hole. They'll be taken to school;

“What do you have to lose by trying something new, like Trump?” he asked a crowd in Virginia on Saturday. “You’re living in your poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58 percent of your youth is unemployed — what the hell do you have to lose?”

[link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_views_of_Donald_Trump?wprov=sfla1|

I'll invite Joe Biden to the Barbeque before I invite a Black Trump Supporter.

[qwlauren35]

19. Not outraged, but...

Last edited Fri May 22, 2020, 08:09 PM - Edit history (1)

I know black people who supported Trump. I think with COVID-19, they are not so sure, but they are die-hard Republicans and will not support a Democratic candidate.

But they are black.

So, no. Biden is off-base.

Moreover, he is lumping black people into a single category and whitesplaining them. Black people are not a monolith. We are not all defined by the same values, the same experiences (except driving while black), the same neighborhoods or socio-economic backgrounds.

Sorry, it was not the right thing to say.


Editted: With that said, it should not stop any black Democrat from voting for him. The alternative is unacceptable.

[theaocp]

26. Agreed. It sounds like something my dad would say,

as he imitates the "jive" guys' accent from Airplane. The context is easily understood, but it comes off as careless and definitely whitesplaining. Not tactful, but hardly worth talking about past this.

[oldsoftie]

31. You stated it very well. Without any bloviating.

[progressoid]

32. +1

[maxrandb]

21. Somehow, I knew politico would be the first

I'm outraged! Aren't you?

I mean, I haven't been this spitting mad since Hillary Clinton said she carried hot sauce in her bag.

Oh the humanity!!!!!!

[relayerbob]

24. Yawn

Really? This is "news"? Let's rephrase it then, "if you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t human"

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

27. OUCH. well come on, it was a bit presumptuous - white guy should never tell

a black one who's black and who isnt.

So clarify the statement, people are allowed to misspeak if they fix it later. And then we move on.

[Paladin]

28. 10,000 to 1, minimum.

That's the current ratio of trump's shoot-from-the-hip, possibly hurtful comments, to those of Biden. Hell, trump says several things as bad as this, every single day.

I refuse to get upset about this matter. And I'm sure as shit going to ignore any whining from trump idiots. Everybody please calm down and keep your eyes on what matters.

[LymphocyteLover]

29. Good WaPo piece on this

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/22/come-bidens-you-aint-black-comment-was-clearly-joke/

[Devil Child]

30. When other politicians do this it's called whitesplaining IIRC

[LanternWaste]

34. Hence, you do not recall correctly.

And the pretense self-righteous indignation is a flaw in humans.... not a feature.

[Devil Child]

40. Recall is OK. No self righteous indignation, just a contemptuous chuckle at shifting goalposts

[oasis]

36. Chuck Todd tried to get Biden's AA spokesperson Symone Sanders

to agree that Joe has a generational problem in the way he addressses African Americans.

Symone saw where Chuck was going with that, abruptly cut him off, and set him straight. Bigtime.

[onetexan]

37. I agree with Joe. To vote for the Idiot is to vote against Black interests and all things

anti-democratic.

[The Mouth]

52. Not if one were a black one percenter

Green is still the most important color in America, IMHO.

[dsharp88]

41. But it's true! Trump treats non-whites as second-class citizens (or non-citizens)

He doesn't believe everyone is equal in the eyes of the law. In addition to the racial component, Trump and other Republicans think the wealthy should be treated to special privileges above and beyond the non-wealthy.

Is any of this actually controversial? It's easy to come up with hundreds of examples. Every single day Trump brings forth a new fountain of hate and inequality.

[pnwmom]

42. A black friend who hates Trump was nonetheless put off by Biden's statement.

Not enough to not vote for him, given the alternative -- but the statement and his phrasing didn't go well.

"You ain't black?" As Biden would say, give me a break.

[EX500rider]

43. I'll have to disagree...your skin color does not change with the way you vote. nt

[demmiblue]

44. NEW: Former VP Joe Biden just dialed into a U.S. Black Chamber call and addressed his remarks to...

NEW: Former VP Joe Biden just dialed into a U.S. Black Chamber call and addressed his remarks to Charlamagne tha God. Biden said, "I shouldn't have been such a wise guy. I shouldn't have been so cavalier...I have never, ever taken the African American community for granted."

Former VP Biden, on the call, said: No one should have to vote for any party based on their race, background, religion, or any demographic information. He added that he wants to earn the votes of African Americans and that they are “critical” to his ability to win the presidency.

Link to tweet

[milestogo]

45. Ick.

[Brainfodder]

46. Politicians can't call out idiocy in fear of offended voters, so they have to dance around it.

Same shit different day, nothing to see here really?

Earned scorn is earned scorn.

Politics is wacky, that has been clear to me for a while.

Spineless weasels are a dime a dozen?

[PoliticAverse]

47. Biden apologizes for telling radio host 'you ain't black' if you are considering voting for Trump

Former Vice President Joe Biden apologized for remarks he made Friday morning insinuating that a black radio host “ain’t black” if he had questions about voting for him.

“I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy,” said Biden on a Friday afternoon call with black business owners. “I shouldn’t have been so cavalier. ... No one should have to vote for any party based on their race, their religion, their background.”

During an interview hours earlier, Biden suggested that African-American radio personality Charlamagne Tha God “ain’t black” if he was questioning whether he should support the presumptive Democratic nominee over President Trump in the general election.

Read the rest at: https://news.yahoo.com/joe-biden-tells-popular-radio-host-you-aint-black-if-considering-voting-for-trump-154645383.html

[Renew Deal]

48. You know his staff were probably like "Yes! We made it through this."

Then Noooooooooo!

[ck4829]

49. Race is a social construct, I am glad Joe is molding it.

[Marrah_Goodman]

50. I think that wasn't the wisest thing to say.

[Pantagruel]

53. JB was probably

just rephrasing something he heard BO say. A black person considering voting for Trump is irrational and incomprehensible.Would be the equivalent of a Jew voting for Hitler.