Biden: "I was in a caucus with James O. Eastland," the former vice president said. "He never called me 'boy,' he always called me 'son.'"
Biden said Talmadge was "one of the meanest guys I ever knew," but he was still able to work with him.
"At least there was some civility," he said. "We got things done. We didn't agree on much of anything. We got things done. We got it finished. But today, you look at the other side, and you're the enemy — not the opposition — the enemy. We don't talk to each other anymore."
Those were the words that Biden spoke that have created a shit-storm among his rivals. Just so everyone understands, Joe Biden ran for office and was elected to the Senate at a time when the Democratic Caucus was made up of Northern and Southern Democrats known as Dixie-Crats. All of the Southern Dems opposed the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act, which Biden supported. Biden ran against segregation and as part of the Democratic Caucus had no choice but to work alongside known racists and segregationists. They didn’t call him “boy”. They saved that for any African American that was in congress, or anywhere for that matter. That was the point he was making. And of course, they called Sen Ted Kennedy, “boy” because they hated him as much as they did Blacks. They used the term “son” for Biden which of course was intended to diminish him as underserving to be in the Senate. They never called him Senator.
Now, Biden had a choice to make. He could work with the racist members of his own Democratic Caucus…or he could quit. That’s it. There was no in between. I suppose that quitting might have made Senator’s Harris, Booker, and Warren feel better, knowing how “hurtful” it was for him to describe what the conditions were in the Senate during the ’70s, especially with the Democrats within his own party. Perhaps they need to develop a thicker skin. President Obama never once reacted this way to Joe Biden. He kept him as his VP for 8 years.
I wonder just exactly how Senators Booker, Harris and Warren would have dealt with racist members of their own party, if they had been in the Senate at that time. I guess they would have quit. We’ll never know because there are no racist/segregationst’s left in the party. The racists have moved to the Republican party and prostrate themselves before Trump.
Biden’s friendship with Eastland and Talmadge was equivalent to that involving Booker and prior Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions. It’s not as if they'd be friends on Facebook. Sessions was denied a seat as a federal judge because of his racist past. That, however, didn’t stop Booker from working with him or Elizabeth Warren working with Chuck Grassley, or AOC working with Ted Cruz. When you’re a member of congress, sometimes you work with those you have nothing in common with for the sake of getting something done for the people. What a novel idea. On the other hand, I suppose the Dems should become as tribalistic as the very Republicans that they despise. Become the thing that you hate. That makes so much sense.
HARRIS on Biden: “Yes it concerns me deeply if those men had their way I would not be in the United States Senate and on this elevator right now.”
But ultimately, they didn’t Senator. They had their day, but those days ended and Biden remained in the Senate and the Democratic Party with his help, rejected those people that he had to tolerate during his early years. And that opened the door for you to stand in that elevator.
"It was about just speaking the truth and as I've said many times, I have a great deal of respect for Joe Biden...but he and I disagree on that," Harris said.
First, Everything before the word “BUT” doesn’t’ count. It amounts to bullshit. A distinctive adviser asserted it was “disingenuous” to assert Biden offered praise for “a segregationist.” He did nothing of the kind, and his rivals know that. Booker knows that. Harris knows it and Warren knows it. So does Bernie and so should all those that are jumping on this bandwagon. However, being the front runner it offered an opening to attack him and present him as having racial “issues”. Senator Harris was NOT speaking the Truth. She stated that Biden demonstrated “ adulation”. The definition of adulation is intense adoration. obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise. These are synonyms for adulation: synonyms:
hero-worship · worship · admiration · admiring · high regard · respect · lionization · lionizing · idolization · idolizing · veneration · awe · devotion · adoration · exaltation ·
Really Senator? You’re a former prosecutor. Unlike Donald Trump, you actually do know all the best words. You know exactly what words to use on any occasion. Do you think that adulation or any of the synonyms could apply to Biden’s statement?
Harris told him, 'I do not believe you are a racist. ( how nice of you Senator) And I agree with you, when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground. ( that’s good to hear. Warms my heart. )
Here it comes::: BUT ( you know what they say about 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.
The reputations?? What did he say about their reputations? He cited two of the nastiest segregationists in the Senate who happened to be Democrats. I didn’t hear him say anything flattering about either of them. I heard him say that he had to find a way to work with them or around them. Which I suspect you would have had to do yourself if faced with the same circumstances. Then again, maybe you would have quit. Of course, you don’t have that problem, in part because of people like Biden. Those like the racists he mentioned eventually turned to the Republicans and to Trump.
Joe Biden did not praise a segregationist. Nor did he “coddle” them as Harris stated. That is a disingenuous take. He basically said sometimes in Congress, one has to work with terrible or down right racist folks to get things done. And then went on to say when you can't work with them, work around them.
Jim Clyburn said this: “I labored with Strom Thurmond all my life-style,” Clyburn advised Politico. “You do not have to concur with individuals currently to get the job accomplished with them.”
From Wonkette: “He didn't call Biden "boy" because Joe Biden is white. What exactly is he bragging about here?” He wasn’t bragging you idiot. He was pointing out the obvious and you couldn’t see it. That was the point he was making. They saved that term for black men. They always call black women by their first name. Never Mrs. So and so. Biden was pointing out just exactly how racist they were. You don’t see that in the Senate today. He did back then. And yet things managed to get done.
Wonkette: “Sure, if you can talk to white supremacists, you can talk to any asshole, even Ted Cruz, who's their king.: You’ll have to talk to AOC about that. She’s working with Cruz on co-sponsoring legislation.
“But we're staunchly on the side of not hanging with bigots.” Nobody says you have to “hang” with them. But you do have to work with them. Or not. In Biden's case, they were members of his own party. How do you not work with them? Do you quit? Or do you stay and work around them and fight them and watch them eventually die off or leave the Senate.? Are you saying that Biden should have quit and gone back home to Delaware?
Harris later said she does not believe the former vice president is a racist but called his statement about finding "common ground" with segregationists personally "hurtful" to people of color like her.
Everything before BUT is bullshit. If you can’t handle finding common ground with those people that you hate, then you’re in the wrong line of work Senator. Nobody asked you to do this job. You decided to go for it. Did you think it was going to be pretty? Be careful what you wish for. You’d better develop a thicker skin than what you're showing or you'll never handle the job you seek. Maybe you need to curl up in the blanket of security provided by your tribe. Just like those that you hate. You need to develop a thicker skin if these things are “hurtful” to you? President Obama dealt with this kind of crap all the time. But he could handle it. I don’t think you can. You appear ready to cry at any moment. Grandstanding doesn’t become any of you.
"If segregationists had their way, I would not be a member of the United States Senate today, I would not be a top contender to be president of the United States," Harris said.”
They did have their way for many years. But Joe Biden was dealing with them in a way that made it possible for you to become a member of the Senate and run for President. You should be thanking him instead of pulling this low — ball bullshit. But it’s a race for the presidency, isn’t it? And he’s in the lead and you desperately needed to make some noise. I get it.
Harris doubles down, criticizes Biden's 'nostalgia' over segregationists
Nostalgia?? Words matter Senator. Nostalgia means a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations. I doubt that Joe Biden has any happy personal associations with those segregationsts that he was expected to work with as a member of the Democratic caucus. I suppose he could have quit the Senate because he didn’t like these guys. Would that have made you happy?
Breitbart: “Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is under fire for praising segregationists…”
He didn’t praise segregationists. But that’s Breitbart. They’ll feast on this.
Biden’s fond reminiscence of the two segregationist Democrats did not sit correctly with many, especially fellow 2020 Democrat Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ).
He wasn’t describing “fond reminiscence of segregationsts Senator. You know that. But you couldn’t resist poking at the front runner, could you? Well...can you win PA, or Mich, or Wisconsin? Biden can do that. If you can’t do that, Trump wins. Happy now?
Booker claimed:
“You do not joke about calling black adult males ‘boys.’ Vice President Biden’s relationships with proud segregationists are not the model for how we make America a safer and far a lot more inclusive region .for Black men and women these days, and for just about every individual. I have to inform Vice President Biden, as any individual I respect, that he is incorrect for applying his associations with Eastland and Talmadge as examples of how to bring our area with each and every other.”
He wasn’t joking Senator Booker. He was stating a fact of what he dealt with before your time. He knows very well what the term Boy means. He heard it used all the time. They called him “son’ because he was white. That was the point he was trying to make which apparently went over everyone's head. But you really knew, didn’t you? Sure you did. You’re a Rhodes Scholar. You’re certainly smart enough to know that. And you’re smart enough to take advantage of an opportunity. But that was really low-ball shit and not the kind of thing Obama would have sunk to. But then, you’re no Obama are you? These were Democrats. NOT Republicans. He had no choice but to work with them. What should he have done? Refuse? Quit the Senate. He could assert his righteous indignation and leave, or stay and try to accomplish a few things that would eventually help to get you elected to the Senate and run for President.
it was “disingenuous” to claim he supplied praise for a segregationist. Did you yourself not work with Senator Jeff Sessions? He’s a racist cracker from Alabama. He couldn’t get confirmed for a federal judgeship because of his documented racism. And yet you offer this:
Cory Booker Slams Biden For Praising Segregationists
And now we have this:
Biden Encounters Backlash For Praising Segregationists
Congratulations. You and Harris and Warren have succeeded in smearing the one person that can beat Trump. You cannot Senator Booker. You won’t win PA, Michigan, or Wisc. Neither will Harris or Warren. That means you’re attacking the one person that can prevent Trump from getting four more years, and beating Trump is the ONLY issue that matters. Unless that’s done, none of the great plans offered by any of you will ever see the light of day. I always liked you, but not now. The same goes for Harris and for Warren. The media has picked up on all of this and I’ve found it all to be the most disgusting thing I’ve watched in my lifetime. If Trump wins, I hold the three of you responsible for the destruction of our democracy.
Have a real nice day.