Joe Biden under fire from rivals after talking about 'civility' with segregationists

Joe Biden used his time in the Senate working with segregationists as an example of “civility” at a fundraiser on Tuesday night, drawing criticism from his fellow Democratic nominees.

“When I got there, there were still five, seven segregationists from the south,” Mr Biden told donors. “But the politics wasn’t broken in the sense that we still treat each other with some civility. I was in a caucus with James O Eastland. He never called me ‘boy’, he always called me ‘son’.”

The comments, which also mentioned the former vice president’s memories of Mississippi’s segregationist senator Herman Talmadge, shocked Mr Biden’s fellow candidates.

“You don’t joke about calling black men ‘boys’,” senator Cory Booker said in a statement. “Vice President Biden’s relationships with proud segregationists are not the model for how we make America a safer and more inclusive place for black people, and for everyone.”

Speaking to reporters, senator Kamala Harris said the comment “concerns me deeply”.

“To coddle the reputations of segregationists, who, if they had their way, I would literally not be standing here as a member of the United States is, I think, misinformed,” she continued. “And it’s wrong.”

Senator Elizabeth Warren also condemned the comments, saying: “I’m not here to criticise other Democrats, but it’s never ok to celebrate segregationists. Never.”

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