Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Biden under critisims for controversial ‘you ain’t black’ comment

Biden under critisims for controversial ‘you ain’t black’ comment

In an interview on “The Breakfast Club” that aired Friday morning, Biden responded to a question from the show’s co-host, Charlamagne tha God, by saying that, “If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.”
African American support was crucial to former Vice President Joe Biden’s 2020 primary victory, and his ability to turn out black voters in November could make or break the general election for Democrats. So after comments to a popular black radio personality Friday morning induced queasiness among some of his allies, the party’s presumptive presidential nominee eventually apologized later in the day.

Joe Biden appeared Friday on “The Breakfast Club,” where he was interviewed by Charlamagne tha God.

It was Biden’s response to Charlamagne saying he welcomed having Biden back to answer more questions as the show was closing that fanned flames at the start of a holiday weekend.

“If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black,” Biden replied. The New York Times described it as a “testy exchange” between Biden and Charlamagne. I didn’t get that impression — both men seemed relaxed throughout the segment.

Obviously, after eight years serving as Barack Obama’s vice president, Biden thinks he’s a brother and believes he can make that kind of jocular aside on a black morning show.

What’s important is not Biden’s words, but whether he takes seriously the notion that Democratic voters want more than not-Trump.

As Charlamagne told Mediaite, “We have been loyal to Democrats for a long time. Black people have invested a lot into that party, and the return on investment has not been great.”

“I know that the comments have come off like I was taking the African American vote for granted. But nothing could be further [from] the truth,” Biden said. “I’ve never ever done that, and I’ve earned it every time I’ve run. I was making the point that I have never taken the vote for granted. And in fact, I know in order to win the presidency, I need the African American vote. And it was the driving force, as I said, in the beginning of my campaign [a] year ago, to my being able to win in the first place and win the primary. And it is going to be critical to my winning the presidency.”

Biden’s eyebrow-raising initial statements came during an at-times contentious virtual conversation with Charlamagne, during which the candidate was challenged over his decades long record on racial issues and current contemplation of a black, female running mate.

“I’m not acknowledging anybody who is being considered, but I guarantee you, there are multiple black women being considered. Multiple,” Biden said of his search process for a vice presidential nominee.

It was then that an aide to the Biden campaign could be heard interjecting into the conversation, attempting to cut short the interview. “Thank you so much. That’s really our time. I apologize,” the staffer said.

“The Breakfast Club” produced similarly unvarnished moments with other White House contenders during the Democratic presidential primary, as the New York-based, nationally syndicated hip-hop morning show developed into a popular pit stop where candidates could opine on the state of the race and outline their agendas for African Americans.

Like many other media outlets eschewed by the Biden campaign throughout the primary contest, the former vice president did not appear on the program until after vanquishing his rivals for the party’s nomination.

On Thursday, Biden faced an intent line of questioning from Charlamagne, who pressed him on his reluctance to concede that the 1994 crime bill “was damaging to the black community.”

As a senator from Delaware, Biden helped author and shepherd the far-reaching legislation through Congress. The crime bill has long been accused of disproportionately targeting marginalized communities and people of color.

Although the crime bill dogged Biden’s presidential candidacy in the early stages of the 2020 primary, he refused Thursday to apologize for it and even argued that Hillary Clinton, the previous Democratic presidential nominee, should not have expressed regret for her advocacy of the measure in 2016.

“She was wrong. What happened was, it wasn’t the crime bill. It was the drug legislation. It was the institution of mandatory minimums,” Biden said, pointing to other factors he claimed had produced levels of mass incarceration in the United States.

Biden also sought to respond to concerns among African Americans that Democratic politicians take their votes for granted by emphatically defending his ties to the black community, which was largely credited for contributing to his comeback win in the primary earlier this year.

“They’re the folks [who], as they say it my way, ‘Brung me to the dance.’ That’s how I get elected every single time,” he said, imploring Charlamagne: “Come on man, give me a little break here. This is where I come from.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
×