- Joe Biden’s praise for segregationists followed him to the Democratic presidential debate on Thursday evening and exploded into a racial controversy
- Kamala Harris, a Jamaican-American, lectured him on the thorny topic of busing and desegregation from the Miami debate stage
- ‘As the only black person on this stage, I would like to speak on the issue of race,’ she said, inserting herself into the discussion
- She tore into his opposition to federal busing laws in the 1970s in which he allied himself with southern, segregationist Democratic senators
- ‘There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bused to school every day,’ she said
- ‘And that little girl was me,’ she added – leaving Biden stammering as he tried to reply; his campaign is now fighting for its life
- Harris’ campaign tweeted a picture of her at school; scroll down to learn more about the Democratic segregationists Biden spoke about
Joe Biden‘s praise for segregationists followed him to the Democratic presidential debate on Thursday evening and exploded into a racial controversy that could put a huge dent in his candidacy after Kamala Harris lectured him on busing.
Harris, who is Jamaican-American, inserted herself into a discussion on the thorny topic, saying, ‘As the only black person on this stage, I would like to speak, on the issue of race.’
She said it was ‘hurtful’ that Biden had praised two notorious, Democraticsegregationists who he served with in the Senate in the 1970s.
One, James Eastland, from Mississippi, called African-Americans ‘flesh eaters’; the other, Herman Talmadge, ran for the Senate on a pledge to stop blacks and whites eating together in the Capitol itself.
Biden revealed at a private fundraising event that Eastland ‘didn’t call me boy,’ and said of their time in the Senate: ‘At least there was some civility.’
Harris confronted Biden about the remarks and his stance in the ’70s against busing encourage racial integration in schools – he worked with the two segregationists to try to prevent federal imposition of the policy.
She told him, ‘I do not believe you are a racist. And I agree with you, when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground.
‘But I also believe – and it’s personal, and I was actually very – it was hurtful, to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country,’ she said.
Tension erupted on the second night of the 2020 Democratic debate when Kamala Harris directed a poignant and personal statement directly to Joe Biden.
Turning her head to look directly at the former vice president, the 54-year-old California senator said, “I will direct this at vice president Biden, I do not believe you are a racist and I agree with you when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground, but I also believe and it’s personal and it was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senator who is built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country.”
She continued, “It was not only that, but you also worked with them to oppose busing. There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools and she was bused to school every day. That little girl was me.”