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| A Day After Bruising Debate, Biden Pushes Back Against Criticism on Civil Rights | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| CHICAGO — A day after a bruising debate in which Senator Kamala Harris laced into his history on civil rights, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. provided a lengthy and vigorous defense of his record, saying that “30 seconds to 60 seconds on a campaign debate exchange can’t do justice to a lifetime committed to civil rights.” | |
| At a labor luncheon in Chicago on Friday, Mr. Biden recited a litany of his actions he had taken in his long career to promote civil rights and insisted “I never, never, never ever opposed voluntary busing.’’ | |
| “Folks, the discussion in this race shouldn’t be about the past,’’ he said. | |
| Mr. Biden was addressing the latest of several major controversies in his two-month-old campaign, setbacks that he has managed to survive while continuing to top the polls at this early stage of the 2020 race. But his first presidential debate performance this cycle was rocky, many Democrats say, and prominent current and former party officials warned Friday that his appearance in Miami revealed “cracks” in his message that he would be the strongest challenger to the president. | |
| “If the contention is, he’s the one to go head-to-head, he’s going to have to kind of re-prove that,” said Sue Dvorsky, the former chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party. “Because last night put some cracks, I think, in that narrative.” | “If the contention is, he’s the one to go head-to-head, he’s going to have to kind of re-prove that,” said Sue Dvorsky, the former chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party. “Because last night put some cracks, I think, in that narrative.” |
| Added former Gov. Jim Hodges of South Carolina: “Where the Biden people need to be deeply concerned is, the aura has worn off. Last night helped show this is a real competitive race.” | Added former Gov. Jim Hodges of South Carolina: “Where the Biden people need to be deeply concerned is, the aura has worn off. Last night helped show this is a real competitive race.” |
| At their Thursday night debate, Ms. Harris confronted Mr. Biden over his fond remembrances last week of what he cast as a more civil time in the Senate, when people of opposing viewpoints could find common ground. Mr. Biden specifically referenced segregationist Southern senators to make his point, words that Ms. Harris, who is black, said she found hurtful. She also tore into his record of actively opposing busing measures in the 1970s. | At their Thursday night debate, Ms. Harris confronted Mr. Biden over his fond remembrances last week of what he cast as a more civil time in the Senate, when people of opposing viewpoints could find common ground. Mr. Biden specifically referenced segregationist Southern senators to make his point, words that Ms. Harris, who is black, said she found hurtful. She also tore into his record of actively opposing busing measures in the 1970s. |
| [Read about Kamala Harris’s exchange over busing with Joseph R. Biden Jr.| | [Read about Kamala Harris’s exchange over busing with Joseph R. Biden Jr.| |
| Mr. Biden found himself again explaining his decades-old record, reminding voters he served with America’s first black president and that he was a longtime champion of civil rights. He repeated that defense Friday. “I did support federal action to address root causes of segregation in our schools and our communities including taking on the banks and redlining and trying to change ways in which neighborhoods were segregated,” he said. | |
| But some Democrats noted Friday that he appeared to be on the defensive during the debate, even cutting himself off abruptly when his speaking time ran out but the moderators had not yet intervened. | |
| “There’s a lot of room for improvement,” said State Senator Marlon Kimpson of South Carolina. “And he has to learn from this experience, particularly when he has a strong record on civil rights.” | “There’s a lot of room for improvement,” said State Senator Marlon Kimpson of South Carolina. “And he has to learn from this experience, particularly when he has a strong record on civil rights.” |
| Representative Cedric Richmond, a Louisiana Democrat who is Mr. Biden’s national campaign co-chairman, urged Mr. Biden to stay focused on the future. And he emphasized the importance of discussing Mr. Biden’s time as Barack Obama’s vice president rather than re-litigating his earliest days in the Senate. | Representative Cedric Richmond, a Louisiana Democrat who is Mr. Biden’s national campaign co-chairman, urged Mr. Biden to stay focused on the future. And he emphasized the importance of discussing Mr. Biden’s time as Barack Obama’s vice president rather than re-litigating his earliest days in the Senate. |
| “I would not stay talking about 40 years ago and what I meant and what I thought,” said Mr. Richmond, who said he was planning to speak with Mr. Biden today. “And last night it played out in an unfortunate way because he didn’t get a chance to talk about his record.” | “I would not stay talking about 40 years ago and what I meant and what I thought,” said Mr. Richmond, who said he was planning to speak with Mr. Biden today. “And last night it played out in an unfortunate way because he didn’t get a chance to talk about his record.” |
| Instead, Mr. Richmond advised, “I’ve encouraged him to initiate the Janet Jackson test in everything he does, which is, ‘What have you done for me lately?’ And I would focus on what he has done for people lately as opposed to 40 years ago.” | Instead, Mr. Richmond advised, “I’ve encouraged him to initiate the Janet Jackson test in everything he does, which is, ‘What have you done for me lately?’ And I would focus on what he has done for people lately as opposed to 40 years ago.” |
| Privately, a number of Mr. Biden’s allies and associates were taken aback by the intensity of Ms. Harris’s argument, and some quietly acknowledged that the former vice president could have been stronger in response. | Privately, a number of Mr. Biden’s allies and associates were taken aback by the intensity of Ms. Harris’s argument, and some quietly acknowledged that the former vice president could have been stronger in response. |
| But others insisted that his failure to return fire in an equally assertive way signaled his ability to stay above the fray. | But others insisted that his failure to return fire in an equally assertive way signaled his ability to stay above the fray. |
| “He’s the front-runner and we fully expected attacks to come, but he wasn’t going to engage in a back-and-forth in personal attacks,” said his deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield. “And he didn’t.” | “He’s the front-runner and we fully expected attacks to come, but he wasn’t going to engage in a back-and-forth in personal attacks,” said his deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield. “And he didn’t.” |
| At a labor luncheon sponsored by Rainbow PUSH Coalition, a civil rights organization based in Chicago, Queen Weiner, 67, frowned when asked about Mr. Biden’s debate performance. | At a labor luncheon sponsored by Rainbow PUSH Coalition, a civil rights organization based in Chicago, Queen Weiner, 67, frowned when asked about Mr. Biden’s debate performance. |
| “He was not up to par. He was not on his game. He was not with it,” she said, pausing for emphasis after each sentence. | “He was not up to par. He was not on his game. He was not with it,” she said, pausing for emphasis after each sentence. |
| [Sign up for our politics newsletter, and we’ll send you a reminder about our live chat on debate night.] | [Sign up for our politics newsletter, and we’ll send you a reminder about our live chat on debate night.] |
| “I was with him and I’m still with him,” said Ms. Weiner, a retired schoolteacher who had arrived at the labor luncheon to see Mr. Biden speak. “But he’s going to have to start thinking on his feet.” | “I was with him and I’m still with him,” said Ms. Weiner, a retired schoolteacher who had arrived at the labor luncheon to see Mr. Biden speak. “But he’s going to have to start thinking on his feet.” |
| In an interview, the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, founder of Rainbow PUSH, said he had watched the exchange on busing and civil rights between Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris. | In an interview, the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, founder of Rainbow PUSH, said he had watched the exchange on busing and civil rights between Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris. |
| “It was a moment for him to admit an error in judgment at that time,” Mr. Jackson said. “He chose not to.” | “It was a moment for him to admit an error in judgment at that time,” Mr. Jackson said. “He chose not to.” |
| Mr. Jackson, who has not endorsed a candidate, said he still believed Mr. Biden was electable — but that there were other candidates who could beat Mr. Trump, including Ms. Harris and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. | Mr. Jackson, who has not endorsed a candidate, said he still believed Mr. Biden was electable — but that there were other candidates who could beat Mr. Trump, including Ms. Harris and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. |
| “I hope he’ll make some adjustments,” Mr. Jackson said of Mr. Biden’s campaign. | “I hope he’ll make some adjustments,” Mr. Jackson said of Mr. Biden’s campaign. |
| Carol Morris, 61, an administrator for the state of Illinois, said she disagreed with the perception that Mr. Biden is the most electable Democrat. | Carol Morris, 61, an administrator for the state of Illinois, said she disagreed with the perception that Mr. Biden is the most electable Democrat. |
| “I don’t think he can beat Trump,” she said. “He wasn’t on his ‘A’ game.” | “I don’t think he can beat Trump,” she said. “He wasn’t on his ‘A’ game.” |
| Before Thursday’s debate, Ms. Morris had paid little attention to Ms. Harris. Ms. Harris’s performance changed that. | Before Thursday’s debate, Ms. Morris had paid little attention to Ms. Harris. Ms. Harris’s performance changed that. |
| “I was not even looking at her,” Ms. Morris said. “But now I’ve opened my eyes to her. She was so focused, so impressive. And she pinned Biden to the wall.” | “I was not even looking at her,” Ms. Morris said. “But now I’ve opened my eyes to her. She was so focused, so impressive. And she pinned Biden to the wall.” |
| Ms. Harris emerged as the night’s biggest winner, and she spent the aftermath of Thursday’s debate in the media “spin room,’’ where she entered to a cluster of boom mikes and the machine-gun staccato of camera shutters. She did a live interview with Chris Matthews of MSNBC and then spent about 10 or 15 minutes fielding questions. | Ms. Harris emerged as the night’s biggest winner, and she spent the aftermath of Thursday’s debate in the media “spin room,’’ where she entered to a cluster of boom mikes and the machine-gun staccato of camera shutters. She did a live interview with Chris Matthews of MSNBC and then spent about 10 or 15 minutes fielding questions. |
| She was asked how important it was for her to change the idea of what a president should look like. | She was asked how important it was for her to change the idea of what a president should look like. |
| “I’m just being me,’’ she said. “I’m on that stage because I believe that I can add a voice to the discussion. And frankly, I can offer the American people an opportunity to elect a president who has actually got an agenda that’s about focusing on what keeps people up in the middle of the night. That’s why I call it our 3 a.m. agenda. It is about being on that stage, to fight for what we need around decency and having a president who will speak truth to the American people.’’ | “I’m just being me,’’ she said. “I’m on that stage because I believe that I can add a voice to the discussion. And frankly, I can offer the American people an opportunity to elect a president who has actually got an agenda that’s about focusing on what keeps people up in the middle of the night. That’s why I call it our 3 a.m. agenda. It is about being on that stage, to fight for what we need around decency and having a president who will speak truth to the American people.’’ |
| Ms. Harris’s campaign said she raised more money on Thursday than any day since her campaign launch and the day after, though an official declined to reveal specifics. | Ms. Harris’s campaign said she raised more money on Thursday than any day since her campaign launch and the day after, though an official declined to reveal specifics. |
| Her campaign store pushed sales of T-shirts featuring a photograph of Ms. Harris as a child, referencing her remark in the debate that she was bused to elementary school. An emailed fund-raising solicitation reminded would-be donors of the first memorable line Ms. Harris delivered earlier in the debate: | Her campaign store pushed sales of T-shirts featuring a photograph of Ms. Harris as a child, referencing her remark in the debate that she was bused to elementary school. An emailed fund-raising solicitation reminded would-be donors of the first memorable line Ms. Harris delivered earlier in the debate: |
| “America does not want to witness a food fight. They want to know how we’re going to put food on the table.” | “America does not want to witness a food fight. They want to know how we’re going to put food on the table.” |
| Text messages from the Harris campaign flatly declared: “Kamala just got offstage and it’s clear: she won tonight’s debate.” | Text messages from the Harris campaign flatly declared: “Kamala just got offstage and it’s clear: she won tonight’s debate.” |