Democratic Primaries
In reply to the discussion: 'Her ambition got it wrong about Joe': Harris faces debate backlash [View all]Demit
(11,238 posts)So, it wasn't even an example of working across the aisle. Second, Biden was seeking help to advance anti-busing legislation, so he cultivated his fellow Democrat, the segregationist Eastland. So it wasn't an example of finding common ground, either. They both already were against busing.
Biden was trying to use this as an example of comity. He was praising Eastland for his comity, his courteousness. He went on to reminisce how Eastland, an outspoken white supremicist, never called him "boy." Just the revival of that terminology was a sore point for blacks.
Eastland never treated Biden like shit, btw. Their relationship was very warm. Someone posted an exchange of letters between the two last week that will show you that. He even offered to campaign for Biden in his reelection bid. Biden's fond memories of a white supremicist, because he was nice to Biden personally, is what was hurtful. Maybe he didn't really mean it that way, but you can see how that would sting. Especially in this age of ramped-up racial hatred.
Whenever Biden says something that comes out the wrong way, he insists that it is you who got it wrong, not him, and that only compounds the problem.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided