Biden Has Testy Exchange With Reporter Over Attacks on Sanders

Former Vice President Joe Biden got a little heated with a reporter after he was asked about his feud with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

After a campaign event in Iowa on Wednesday, CBS News reporter Ed O’Keefe asked Biden why he was attacking Sanders — after the Vermont senator apologized for a campaign surrogate calling him corrupt.

“Yesterday, you said you accepted Bernie’s apology now you’re attacking him. Why are you doing that? Wasn’t his apology enough, Mr. Vice President?” O’Keefe asked.

Determined to get an answer, O’Keefe asked again, “Why attack Sanders?”

“Why, why, why, why, why, why, why?” Biden shot back, seemingly irritated that O’Keefe pressed him to answer. 

“You’re getting nervous, man. Calm down. It’s okay,” Biden said as he put his hand on O’Keefe’s shoulder.

“He apologized for saying I was corrupt. He didn’t say anything about whether or not I was telling the truth about Social Security,” He added.

Biden made a fist and gently tapped O’Keefe on the chest before walking away.

Watch the exchange below:

WATCH: After a campaign event in Mason City, Iowa, @joebiden reacts to @edokeefe's question about his ongoing feud with @berniesanders: "Calm down, it's okay." https://t.co/a2hmMbnjnf pic.twitter.com/ymOMWRR2zP

— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 22, 2020

The apology O’Keefe referenced was in response to an op-ed written by a Sanders campaign surrogate that called Biden corrupt.

Sanders apologized and said it was “absolutely not my view” that the former vice president is corrupt and called on his supporters to engage in civil political discourse, as IJR has previously reported.

However, Sanders indicated that he would not refrain from attacking Biden’s record or his policy proposals.

In a tweet, Biden accepted Sanders’ apology and called on the Democratic hopefuls to avoid “these kinds of attacks.”

Thanks for acknowledging this, Bernie. These kinds of attacks have no place in this primary. Let’s all keep our focus on making Donald Trump a one-term president. https://t.co/tmFbLm98xd

— Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) January 21, 2020

Biden and Sanders have ramped up attacks on each other after recent polling found them locked in a close race ahead of the Iowa caucuses. 

Recently, Sanders’ campaign released a video of Biden saying he wanted to privatize Social Security. The Biden campaign responded and alleged that the video was “doctored.”

On Tuesday, Biden released an ad calling on the presidential hopefuls to refrain from launching “dishonest” attacks against each other, and blasted Sanders for his “dishonest” attacks on the former vice president’s record.