Joe Biden, a Democratic Senator from Delaware, has been accused of being a racist, based on comments he made before and during his campaign in the 2008 presidential race. On August 23, 2008, it was announced that he will be the vice presidential candidate on Barack Obama's ticket.
Quotes
"I deeply regret any offense my remark in the New York Observer might have caused anyone. That was not my intent and I expressed that to Senator Obama."—Joe BidenUSA Today: Biden burned by 'clean' language (January 31, 2007)
"I didn't take Sen. Biden's comments personally, but obviously they were historically inaccurate. African-American presidential candidates like Jesse Jackson, Shirley Chisholm, Carol Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton gave a voice to many important issues through their campaigns, and no one would call them inarticulate."—Barack ObamaCNN: Biden's description of Obama draws scrutiny (February 9, 2007)
"You don't know my state. My state was a slave state. My state is a border state. My state is the eighth largest black population in the country. My state is anything from a northeast liberal state."— Joe BidenCNN: Biden's description of Obama draws scrutiny (February 9, 2007)
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References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
Told the New York Observer on January 31, 2007, that Barack Obama is "the first mainstream African-American [presidential candidate] who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man."USA Today: Biden burned by 'clean' language (January 31, 2007)
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Fact:
Said he was referring to his mother's expression, "Clean as a whistle, sharp as a tack"CNN: Biden's description of Obama draws scrutiny (February 9, 2007)
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Fact:
Obama has said he did not take the comments personally but considers them inaccurateCNN: Biden's description of Obama draws scrutiny (February 9, 2007)
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Fact:
In 2006, commented in New Hampshire about Delaware's growing Indian-American population by saying, "You cannot go into a Dunkin' Donuts or a 7-Eleven unless you have a slight Indian accent."USA Today: Biden burned by 'clean' language (January 31, 2007)
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Fact:
When asked how a "Northeast liberal" could compete against Southern conservatives, made remarks about Delaware's history as a slave stateCNN: Biden's description of Obama draws scrutiny (February 9, 2007)
