Joe Biden is controversial when he says that a black man is "not black" if he votes for Trump

Joe Biden he made a new blunder which he is customary? The one who should represent the Democratic camp during the presidential election in November was accused of racism Friday May 22 by the campaign team of his rival Donald Trump after having told a radio host that he was "not black" if he was thinking of voting for the Republican president in November.

The 77-year-old former vice president of the United States gave an interview to Charlamagne Tha God, a personality who co-hosts a popular New York radio show, "The Breakfast Club", broadcast on Friday.

Joe Biden's interview with Charlamagne Tha God makes teeth cringe, especially with the injunction launched by the 77-year-old candidate for the famous host: "If you have trouble choosing between me and Trump, then you are not black "pic.twitter.com/CClS776f5h

When Joe Biden said that he had to end the interview, after some 17 minutes, the host replied: "Listen, you must come and see us when you come to New York, VP Biden (...) We have more questions "before the presidential election on November 3.

"Do you have more questions? I'll tell you, if you have a problem deciding whether you are for me or for Trump, then you are not black," replied the former vice president of Barack Obama.

"It has nothing to do with Trump, it has to do with the fact that I want something for my community," continued the host.

The republican camp jumps on the occasion

Donald Trump's team called the exchange "disgusting" on Twitter, and the son of the Republican billionaire, Donald Trump Junior, said that Joe Biden had "a disgusting and dehumanizing racist mentality."

Tim Scott, the only black Republican senator, responded by pointing out that "1.3 million black Americans already voted for Trump in 2016. This morning Joe Biden told all of us that we were 'not black'."

1.3 million black Americans already voted for Trump in 2016. This morning, Joe Biden told every single one of us we “ain't black.” I'd say I'm surprised, but it's sadly par for the course for Democrats to take the black community for granted and brow beat those that don't agree.

"I could say that I am surprised but unfortunately that corresponds to the tendency of the democrats to think that the voices of the Blacks are won in advance and to intimidate those who do not agree," he added.

Democrats must mobilize African American electorate to win

An argument that could hit home with some black voters who regret that Hillary Clinton and the Democrats thought in 2016 that their votes were just "won in advance" and therefore did not campaign enough with them, making lower participation of African Americans compared to the Obama years. However, their mobilization will be crucial to winning the White House on November 3.

Donald Trump has also been accused of racism after making comments and of maintaining ambiguity towards white nationalists. It remains unpopular with black voters. 

Faced with controversy, one of Joe Biden's top advisers, Symone Sanders, herself black, assured that his comments had been made "in a joking tone".

"But let's be clear on what the vice president said: he emphasized the fact that he was ready to compare his record on African Americans to that of Trump at any time," she tweeted. Joe Biden "has spent his career fighting alongside African Americans".

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.

Known for his blunders, Joe Biden is very popular with African-Americans, who brought him to victory in the Democratic primary by offering him an overwhelming score in South Carolina in late February, allowing him to return to the front of the race in one of the most spectacular returns in American political history.

An African-American woman as a vice-presidential candidate?

The interview continued after this exchange, Joe Biden recalling his work to strengthen the right to vote when he was a senator and the strong support he enjoys among blacks, before promising to return to the program.

In the same interview, the Democratic candidate denounced the management by the Trump administration of the coronavirus pandemic, which strikes disproportionately in several American regions: "This crisis exposes to light the institutional racism which still prevails in our country. society."

The presenter also noted that some are upset to hear others urge him to choose a black candidate for the vice-presidency, since "the Blacks saved your political life in the primary" Democrat.

Joe Biden responds that "many black women are being considered" in his selection process, which could last until July.

In the forecasts include the senator and former presidential candidate Kamala Harris, the former candidate for governor of Georgia Stacey Abrams or the elected representative of the House of Representatives Val Demings.

With AFP

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