Joe Biden. Politico/Getty.
While on a Black radio show Joe Biden said that "If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black.". Politico. The remarks were made on the popular Breakfast Club show to co-host Charlamange tha God. Charlamange was challenging Biden after a Biden aide cut the interview short and Biden responded with the comment. The remark started a wave of controversy for the gaffe prone candidate as both Republicans and Democrats condemned what he said. Biden has walked back the statement saying he was "too cavalier" and apologized.
My Comment:
Joe Biden finally emerges from his Coronavirus exile and this is what he comes up with? The man has always been a gaffe machine but this was pretty dumb even for him. President Trump has been working hard to peel away black voters from the Democrats and this could potentially take a few more away.
Were the remarks themselves that offensive? I personally felt no offense but I can see how people could. After all, Joe Biden isn't the king of black people, he doesn't get to decide who they support or how they define themselves. His remarks would have been more acceptable if they came from another black person, not a geriatric white man, but regardless it's dumb to expect an entire race of people to vote one way for unexplained reasons.
Would the statement alone hurt Biden? Probably not. I bet there are even some black people that would agree with him, as the woke black left has little use for anyone opposed to their cause. And Biden has been very popular with blacks for some reason, probably for being the Vice President of the first black president, Barack Obama.
But I think the context of the statement makes it way worse. His aide was cutting him off from a popular black news show and he didn't handle it well. The host had more questions and wanted to continue talking to him and this is what Biden came up with? Not "sure, I'd love to come back, your community has been neglected and I want to change that" but "if you don't vote for me you aren't black?" Who says that? This seems like politician 101 stuff, not a mistake a man who has been in politics for most of his life would make.
I wonder if this is another example of Joe Biden's cognitive decline. Though Biden was always a gaffe machine he's never been this bad. He's always saying stupid things but he seems more confused and agitated than normal. And though there is something to be said for being confrontational to your political enemies, like President Trump has done successfully, attacking your own supporters isn't going to help anyone. I can't imagine that the Joe Biden of 2008 that ran with Barack Obama would have said this out loud.
So, does Joe Biden really feel entitled to the black community's vote? I think he does and I think the Democratic Party does. Are they though? I doubt it. I have always thought that the best thing blacks could do for themselves is vote Republican in strong enough numbers that both parties would be forced to try and cater to their needs. Right now neither party does much of that as the Republicans have written them off and the Democrats take them for granted. I don't see why Biden would be any different.
I do think that President Trump gets a bad rap among black people despite his presidency being fairly good for them. Black employment was up before the Coronavirus and Trump signed a crime bill that was seen as favorable to the black community. And he got a lot of credit for the $1200 Coronavirus stimulus checks that went out. Trump does make his own gaffes but I think there is an argument to be made that blacks should consider voting for Trump over Biden as Trump seems to actually be getting things done for the black community and is reaching out to them while it seems that Biden takes them for granted.
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