2020 hopeful Tulsi Gabbard criticized fellow Democratic rivals Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris over their condemnation of Joe Biden’s remarks about working with segregationists in the Senate.
“Joe Biden did not ‘celebrate’ or ‘coddle’ segregationists. His critics have unfairly misrepresented his important message to score cheap political points,” the Hawaii congresswoman tweeted on Friday.
Gabbard said she agrees with with Democratic House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn because “in order for Congress and the president to get things done for the American people, there needs to be civility in Washington and in the country — the ability to work with those who we disagree, even those who hold some views which we abhor.”
Clyburn, who is black, defended Biden, saying, “If I had only worked with people who opposed segregation, I never would have worked with people who were not my color.”
(1/3) @ewarren @KamalaHarris Joe Biden did not “celebrate” or “coddle” segregationists. His critics have unfairly misrepresented his important message to score cheap political points. I agree with @ClyburnSC06 and @JoeBiden: in order for Congress and the president to…
— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) June 21, 2019
(3/3) …we need to find common ground with each other. That is not possible without civility. We don’t need another president who is going to continue to divide our country. We need a president who will unite us. United we stand, divided we fall.
— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) June 21, 2019
Warren, Harris, and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker have said the former vice president’s comments were tone-deaf. Booker said Biden should apologize because what he said was insulting, after which Biden asked why he should apologize.
Gabbard, who is among the more than 20 Democrats running for president, is polling at an average of 0.6%, according to RealClearPolitics’ latest average of polls.
