Biden Adviser Symone Sanders Won’t Say Whether Booker Should Apologize

Appearing Thursday on CNN, senior 2020 Joe Biden campaign adviser Symone Sanders declined to say whether Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) should apologize to the former vice president for criticizing his previous working relationship with segregationist senators.

A partial transcript is as follows:

BROOKE BALDWIN: Senator Booker did not suggest that Biden is embracing segregationists or he’s not saying that he’s racist. But what he’s saying is he’s upset by Biden’s choice of words. My question to you is, is Booker wrong to feel that way?

SYMONE SANDERS: I have immense respect for Senator Booker, our campaign has immense respect for Senator Booker, but most importantly the vice president has immense respect for Senator Cory Booker. And it’s not on anyone to say how Senator Booker should or should not feel. He is entitled to his own feelings and his own thoughts as is everyone else. I’ll just point you to the comments of the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Karen Bass, today, and here words are she doesn’t think the vice president needs to apologize. She wishes folks would stop the arguing and get back to the issues. Those are here comments, not mine.

[…]

BALDWIN: As we have the conversations, do you agree with Biden that Booker should apologize?

SANDERS: Brooke, again, it’s not about what I think. It’s about what the American people think.

BALDWIN: But you’re representing a man who would like to be the next president of the United States. I do happen to care what you think and a lot of other people do.

SANDERS: I think I’m here to maybe shed light on the vice president’s thought process.

BALDWIN: Do you think he should apologize?

SANDERS: Brooke, it’s not about what I think.