New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker expressed frustration but also gratitude toward 2020 presidential front-runner Joe Biden on Saturday after the former vice president apologized for comments about segregationist senators.
Earlier Saturday, Biden apologized for comments he made last month in which he emphasized working with two segregationist senators as an example of putting differences aside for policy. Presidential candidates Booker and Kamala Harris, both of whom are black, criticized Biden for the remarks, who stood by them until this weekend.
“I’m frustrated that it took so long. But I’m grateful for him doing and we should all — I mean, we can’t have a culture where — we can’t have a leader that can’t stand up and say I’ve been imperfect and I made mistakes and I apologize,” Booker stated. “I’m sorry we had to go through all of this, I’m sorry he tried to shift blame to me. But I’m grateful. I want to say thank you. We need to extend grace to each other. I’m never going to not — not accept somebody I respect and admire that has come to terms with this and apologized.”
Following Booker’s condemnation of Biden in the days after the remarks, the former vice president fought back, arguing that, “There’s not a racist bone in my body. I’ve been involved in civil rights my whole career. Period. Period. Period.”
BREAKING: @JoeBiden responds to Dem rival criticism on comments re: “some civility” w/segregationist senators: “Apologize for what? @CoryBooker should apologize” @CBSNews (w/@JuliaCherner) pic.twitter.com/zFaEXpSNXM
— Bo Erickson (@BoKnowsNews) June 19, 2019
“I was very hurt by what he said. And then even more hurt that he would try to almost feel attacked that he was saying I should be apologizing for him when he clearly as he says now is the one that did something wrong,” Booker continued.
