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On Thursday, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden made a confusing statement. The quote caught the attention of many pundits on both the left and right. He said,
“What you all know but most people don’t know, unlike the African American community with notable exceptions, the Latino community is an incredibly diverse community,” Biden said on Thursday. The comment drew swift criticism from Biden’s left and right, with people demanding the former vice president clarify his statement.
“You go to Florida, you find a very different attitude about immigration in certain places than when you do when you’re in Arizona,” Biden stated during an interview Thursday with NPR. “So, it’s a very different — a very diverse community.”
“Earlier today, I made some comments about diversity in the African American and Latino communities that I want to clarify,” Biden wrote on Twitter later in the day Thursday. “In no way did I mean to suggest the African American community is a monolith—not by identity, not on issues, not at all.”
The candidate went on, writing, “Throughout my career I’ve witnessed the diversity of thought, background, and sentiment within the African American community. It’s this diversity that makes our workplaces, communities, and country a better place.”
A follow-up tweet said, “My commitment to you is this: I will always listen, I will never stop fighting for the African American community and I will never stop fighting for a more equitable future.”
People with Biden’s own campaign came to the candidate’s defense. They state that he was simply referring to the variance of attitudes present in the Latino community. He wasn’t talking about the diversity of the groups themselves, they say.
Some pundits noted the irony of Biden’s opponents, like Donald Trump, excoriating him over the statement. Some have alleged that Republicans are making attacks in bad faith. They say those on the right are dismissing Biden for making “racist” statements while they themselves enact truly racist policies.
Friday, incumbent Donald Trump used the remarks to paint Biden as out of touch with the black community. He alleged that Biden “totally disparaged and insulted the Black community”. Some critics have noted the irony in Trump’s statements.
Biden will likely become the Democratic nominee for president during the Democratic Convention. That event will occur online due to concerns over COVID. The virus has shuttered businesses and the top airlines in the US alike.
