Friday on CNN, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden said President Donald Trump was giving “bigotry” oxygen while commenting on the protests in response to the death of George Floyd.
Host Don Lemon asked, “You’ve watched these pictures coming out of Minneapolis, St. Paul and other cities, these protests. They’re happening all over the country. No one condones this kind of destruction, but what do you say to these protesters, many of them outraged, sick and tired of black men being unjustly killed. What do you say to them?”
Biden said, “I say they have a right to be in fact angry and frustrated, but more violence, hurting more people, isn’t going to answer the question. But they’re totally correct, and it is time it stops. Look, think about this. You and I have talked about this before, Don, in other contexts. I used to think you can defeat bigotry, but it only hides. It only hides, and when it’s giving oxygen like has happened since Charlottesville and on with this president, it, in fact, brings out the worst in— sort of condones activity that is across the board totally inappropriate.”
He added, “We must speak out. We must speak out. We must move on this. We must hold people accountable. It is absolutely essential. There is no alternative but to hold perpetrators accountable and to keep speaking about it because I believe the vast majority, the vast majority of the American people of all colors, backgrounds, race, religion, think what they saw is absolutely unacceptable.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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