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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 25 July 2019

Biden says he’s not relying on

Obama as ‘crutch’ in 2020 bid

By ERRIN HAINES WHACK bid. “It’s not a crutch,” scrutiny in recent weeks.
and STEVEN SLOAN Biden said during a forum He sparked a firestorm
Associated Press in Detroit sponsored by the with comments last month
DETROIT (AP) — Joe Biden NAACP. “You can ask Presi- touting his work alongside
rarely lets a public event dent Obama. I don’t need segregationist lawmakers
pass without reminding any crutch.” when he was first elected
voters of his work alongside The comment reflects the to the Senate in the 1970s.
President Barack Obama. challenge facing Biden During the first presiden-
But the former vice presi- as he tries to protect his tial debate, California Sen.
dent insisted on Wednes- fragile status as the early Kamala Harris slammed
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe day that he’s not overly Democratic front-runner. Biden’s remarks and high-
Biden, speaks during a candidates forum at the 110th NAACP relying on that relationship His frequent invocation of lighted in personal terms
National Convention, Wednesday, July 24, 2019, in Detroit. to fuel his 2020 White House the Obama years could his previous opposition to
Associated Press
appeal to Democrats, par- busing. She and New Jer-
ticularly African Americans, sey Sen. Cory Booker, who
who hold the former presi- also criticized Biden’s seg-
dent in high regard. But regationist comment, will
presidential candidates share the stage with the
aren’t often successful if former vice president at
they’re viewed as simply next week’s Democratic
the next chapter of a prior debate and could revive
administration. their line of attack.
The 37-year-old Pete But- Booker previewed the pos-
tigieg, the mayor of South sible clash ahead by hitting
Bend, Indiana, has made Biden on Wednesday as
generational change a “an architect of mass incar-
centerpiece of his presi- ceration” because of his
dential candidacy. Without role as a senator in crafting
naming Biden, he called on the 1994 crime bill. Biden
the audience to embrace said that characterization
change and resist the urge wasn’t accurate and struck
to return to the days before back at Booker’s tenure
President Donald Trump. as mayor of Newark, New
“We will not and cannot Jersey. “His police depart-
win if our message as a ment was stopping and
Democratic Party is ‘We’re frisking people, mostly Afri-
just going to go back to can American men,” Biden
normal,’” Buttigieg said. said. Biden defended the
Biden, 76, insisted his candi- crime bill as needed at the
dacy is not a “continuation time and noted that it was
of Barack and our adminis- supported by mayors and
tration,” noting “new prob- black leaders.
lems” must be addressed “We had a gigantic epi-
today. demic in America of vio-
“But the fact of the matter lence, particularly in Afri-
is he’s a close friend,” Biden can American communi-
said of Obama. “I’m proud ties,” he said, blaming the
to have served with him.” Republican takeover of
Biden is at the top of most Congress during the 1990s
polls in no small part be- for blocking later reforms to
cause of support from the law.
black voters who are cru- “We have now a systemic
cial to winning the Demo- problem in too many Afri-
cratic primary. The audi- can Americans in jail right
ence applauded Biden as now,” Biden said. “So I think
he walked onto the stage we should shift the whole
at the NAACP event, but focus from what we’re do-
his past handling of racial ing in terms of incarcera-
issues has come under tion to rehabilitation.”q