Recent Comments on Race

Senator Biden you and your campaign have had a number of occasions to correct to clarify things you've said relating to race including your remarks about Senator Obama being quote quote clean and articulate your comment about Indians working at 7-Eleven and recently to The Washington Post in which you spoke about race while describing disparities between schools in Washington DC and Iowa do these gaffs or misunderstandings or however you would characterize them indicate your uncomfortable talking about race or are people just being too sensitive I think that uh I have my whole career I got involved in public policy I got involved in politics because of the Civil Rights Movement it's the overwhelming core of my support in my home state I get the overwhelming majority over 95% of the vote of minorities in my state I may have phrased those things wrongly but when I talked about the Indian population what I was making the point was they're building families they're coming buying businesses 7-Elevens and Dunkin Donuts and small shops just like those Italian um uh immigrants used to do and they're building families the point I was making about the inner city wash the point that Barack just made Barack made the point he said that minorities start off at a disadvantage they start off in a with with a gap an achievement Gap that exists before they even walk into school minorities and so I was making the same point it may be possible because I speak so bluntly that people misunderstand but no one who knows me in my state no one who I've worked with in my in the United States Congress has ever wondered about my commitment to civil rights and civil liberties and if you take a look at my record as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee excuse me of the Judiciary Committee ranking member chairman for 16 years is starting with a Voting Rights Act and worked us right through to to uh voting against Constitution Amendments on busing when busing was taking place in my state my credentials are as good as anyone who's ever run for president of the United States on civil rights Senator Obama you know I I just wanted to uh I I just want to make the comment I I've worked with Joe Biden I've seen his leadership uh I have absolutely no doubt uh about what is in his heart and the commitment that he's made uh with respect to Racial equality in this country so uh I I I will provide some testimony as they say in church uh that uh that the Joe is is on the right side of the issues and and is fighting every day for a better America thank you

Channel: Iowa PBS

Views: 476,295

Keywords: campaign08, p2008, 2008-Iowa, Democrats, Biden

Id: BOXzyTGsC1c

Length: 2min 38sec (158 seconds)

Published: Thu Dec 13 2007