Appearing Friday on CNN, former Vice President Joe Biden claimed Breakfast Club co-host Charlamagne tha God was “baiting me” in a recent interview in which the presumptive Democrat presidential nominee declared African-Americans “ain’t black” if they are unsure whether to support him over President Donald Trump in the November election. Biden also claimed he only meant Charlamagne wasn’t black if he wouldn’t support him over the current administration.
A partial transcript is as follows:
DON LEMON: In light of these horrible events, it’s important for black voters to know: Which leader are you going to be?
JOE BIDEN: The leader I’ve always been. I apologized immediately for responding to Charlamagne, who was baiting me, and if you looked at that film you see I was smiling at him. And I was referring to him, I wasn’t referring to all African-Americans. But I should have never said it. I have never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, taken the African-American community for granted. I’ve been their ally and they’ve been mine, and I’ve worked hard to earn every single vote I’ve ever gotten. That’s what I’m trying to do, that’s what I’m going to continue to do. No one should be taken for granted based on their race religion and their background, at all.