Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s past remarks surfaced again when a voter pressed him on his “you ain’t Black” remark.
During Thursday night’s ABC News town hall, an undecided voter said to Biden that “many people believe that the true swing demographic in this election will be Black voters under the age of 30, not because they’ll be voting for Trump, but because they won’t vote at all.”
The voter then asked, “Besides ‘you ain’t black,’ what do you have to say to young black voters who see voting for you as further participation in a system that continually fails to not protect them?”
Citing past remarks by his “buddy” late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) that it is “a sacred opportunity, the right to vote. you can make a difference,” as Biden put it.
He continued, “If young black women and men vote, you can determine the outcome of this election. That is not a joke,” adding, “The next question is, am I worthy of your vote, can I earn your vote?”
Watch the video below:
Biden is asked "Besides 'you ain’t Black,' what do you have to say to young Black voters?" pic.twitter.com/BJvEXClg7F
— The Recount (@therecount) October 16, 2020
Biden said in May on the radio show “The Breakfast Club,” “If you have a problem figuring out whether me or Trump, then you ain’t black,” as IJR previously reported.
Following criticism of his remarks, Biden’s campaign said, “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 expressed regret for his remark, “I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy. I shouldn’t have been so cavalier,” he said during a previous phone call with black business leaders.
“I shouldn’t have said it,” he also said during an ABC News interview in August, adding, “But, the truth is, there’s a fundamental difference between Donald Trump and me on the issue of race across the board.”
He continued, “I was trying to make the point that this is a man who spent his entire career denigrating African Americans. Denigrating them, continuing to denigrate them. To do nothing but go after race and inflame it. Pour, you know, gasoline on the fire.”
“I wouldn’t be here without the African American community,” Biden added.
