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Biden, Under Fire for Civil Rights Record, Stresses Ties to Obama Biden Stresses Ties to Obama, Apologizes for Remarks on Segregationists
(about 1 hour later)
SUMTER, S.C. — After weeks of facing sharp criticisms over his decades-long history on issues including busing and civil rights, Joseph R. Biden Jr. is expected on Saturday to give the most forceful defense yet of his record, with an emphasis on his time as vice president to Barack Obama, the country’s first black president. SUMTER, S.C. — After spending weeks under fire for his decades-long history on race and civil rights, Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Saturday gave the most forceful defense yet of his record, emphasizing his time as vice president to Barack Obama, and also did something he had resisted in the past — apologize for warmly reminiscing about his working relationships with Southern segregationists.
The remarks are slated to come during Mr. Biden’s weekend trip to South Carolina, a key early-voting state with a heavily African-American Democratic electorate, where Mr. Obama is beloved. It is a state where Mr. Biden has so far enjoyed significant good will tied to his time in the Obama administration, despite recent scrutiny of his civil rights record, and of slipping national poll numbers following the first Democratic debate of the 2020 presidential primary. Mr. Biden, who in the past had been defiant about those remarks and was often reluctant to issue apologies, told a heavily African-American audience gathered in this crucial early-voting state Saturday afternoon that he regretted those remarks, which had sparked backlash from many Democrats and had given several of his opponents an opening to attack him. He also used his speech to draw contrasts with some of the Democratic opponents to his left.
“If you look at the issues I’ve been attacked on, nearly every one of them is for something well before 2008,” Mr. Biden is expected to say Saturday afternoon during his first public event in Sumter, S.C., according to prepared remarks. “It’s as if my opponents want you to believe I served from 1972 until 2008 — and then took the next eight years off. They don’t want to talk much about my time as vice president.” “Now, was I wrong a few weeks ago to somehow give the impression to people that I was praising those men who I successfully opposed time and again?” he said. “Yes, I was. I regret it. I’m sorry for any of the pain and misconception I may have caused anybody.”
“I was vetted by him and selected by him,” Mr. Biden is expected to say of Mr. Obama. “I will take his judgment of my record, my character and my ability to handle the job over anyone else’s.” The room broke into applause, drowning out Mr. Biden. But, he asked the crowd, should “that misstep define 50 years of my record for fighting for civil rights, racial justice in this country?”
“I hope not,” he said, as some in the crowd murmured “no.” Mr. Biden added: “I don’t think so. That just isn’t an honest assessment of my record.”
The remarks came during Mr. Biden’s first public event of a weekend trip to South Carolina, a state with a heavily African-American Democratic electorate, where Mr. Obama is enormously popular.
It is a state where Mr. Biden has so far enjoyed significant good will tied to his time in the Obama administration, despite recent scrutiny of his civil rights record, and slipping national poll numbers following the first Democratic debate of the 2020 presidential primary and its heated exchanges over busing and race.
On Saturday, before a crowd that appeared sympathetic and often enthusiastic, Mr. Biden sought to put his record on issues like the 1994 Crime Bill — which many associate with mass incarceration — or in dealing with segregationist lawmakers, in what he cast as historical context.
And he also worked to focus attention on his time serving under Mr. Obama.
“It’s as if my opponents want you to believe I served from 1972 until 2008 — and then took a hiatus for the next eight years,” he said. . “They don’t want to talk much about my time as vice president of the United States.”
“I was vetted by him and ten serious lawyers he appointed, go back look at every single thing” in his record, “from finances to anything I had done, everything,” Mr. Biden said of Mr. Obama. “And he selected me. I’ll take his judgment about my record, my character my ability to handle the job over anyone else’s.”
[The latest data and analysis to keep track of who’s leading the race to be the Democratic nominee.][The latest data and analysis to keep track of who’s leading the race to be the Democratic nominee.]
For weeks, Mr. Biden’s aides had watched in frustration as much of the conversation around the former vice president had centered not on his time in the White House — which is how voters know him best — but on controversies dating back to the 1970s, from Mr. Biden’s active opposition of many busing initiatives, to his working relationships with Southern segregationist senators. For weeks, Mr. Biden’s aides had watched in frustration as much of the conversation around the former vice president had centered not on his time in the White House — which is how voters know him best — but on controversies dating back to the 1970s.
Mr. Biden had brought up those relationships himself as he fondly recalled a more civil time in the Senate at a fund-raiser last month. He has a habit of telling stories that date back decades, and that can sometimes sound off-key in today’s more progressive Democratic Party.Mr. Biden had brought up those relationships himself as he fondly recalled a more civil time in the Senate at a fund-raiser last month. He has a habit of telling stories that date back decades, and that can sometimes sound off-key in today’s more progressive Democratic Party.
But the prepared remarks suggest an effort to focus on a more forward-looking message, after spending the Fourth of July holiday in Iowa locked in a back-and-forth with Senator Kamala Harris over the issue of federally mandated busing. But the speech was a new effort to focus on a more forward-looking message, after spending the Fourth of July holiday in Iowa locked in a back-and-forth with Senator Kamala Harris over the issue of federally mandated busing.
Ms. Harris had been pressed by reporters to clarify her current position on that issue after attacking Mr. Biden for his 1970s-era opposition to many busing measures during the first Democratic primary debate. His campaign suggested that, despite her criticism, Ms. Harris’s position today is essentially the same as his, while she said that the civil rights environment in the 1970s had been different than it is now, and that his position at that time was “wrong.”Ms. Harris had been pressed by reporters to clarify her current position on that issue after attacking Mr. Biden for his 1970s-era opposition to many busing measures during the first Democratic primary debate. His campaign suggested that, despite her criticism, Ms. Harris’s position today is essentially the same as his, while she said that the civil rights environment in the 1970s had been different than it is now, and that his position at that time was “wrong.”
“America in 2019 is a very different place than the America of the 1970s,” Mr. Biden’s prepared remarks say. “And that’s a good thing. I’ve witnessed an incredible amount of change in this nation, and I’ve worked to make that change happen. And yes — I’ve changed also.” “I know that many want this campaign to be about my past,” he said. “I get it. That’s the game. But this isn’t a game. Every one of you know, no matter who you’re for, know in your bones, know this election is different.”
[We tracked down the 2020 Democrats and asked them the same set of questions. Watch them answer.][We tracked down the 2020 Democrats and asked them the same set of questions. Watch them answer.]
Last month, amid an outcry from progressive organizations and women’s rights groups, Mr. Biden ultimately reversed himself on his long-held support for the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal funding for most abortions. Mr. Biden also made clear that in contrast to some of his more liberal opponents, he is not calling for revolutionary change on issues like the Affordable Care Act, noting his support for a public option — an implicit contrast with those who would support bolder change as part of proposals like Medicare for All, and a sign of his increased willingness to engage with his opponents rather than keeping his focus on President Trump.
But more than two months into his third presidential campaign, Mr. Biden has yet to articulate more broadly the ways in which he has changed during his decades in public service. “We don’t have time,” he said of those who want to “start over.”
The Sumter address offers an opportunity to do so — but at least one rival campaign is already signaling that they do not plan to let Mr. Biden move on so easily. At least one rival campaign is already signaling that they do not plan to let Mr. Biden move on from his past so easily.
“Every candidate’s record will (and should) be scrutinized in this race,” tweeted Ian Sams, the national press secretary for Ms. Harris. “It’s a competition to become President of the United States. There are no free passes.”“Every candidate’s record will (and should) be scrutinized in this race,” tweeted Ian Sams, the national press secretary for Ms. Harris. “It’s a competition to become President of the United States. There are no free passes.”
Mr. Biden is focused on courting African-American voters while also seeking to appeal to disaffected Democrats in the industrial Midwest who supported President Trump in 2016. Mr. Biden is focused on courting African-American voters while also seeking to appeal to disaffected Democrats in the industrial Midwest who supported Mr. Trump in 2016.
The current president, meanwhile, has been increasingly eager to talk about the Obama years, though his dismissive depiction of that administration is quite different than Mr. Biden’s.The current president, meanwhile, has been increasingly eager to talk about the Obama years, though his dismissive depiction of that administration is quite different than Mr. Biden’s.