Old White Man Says You Ain't Black if You Don't Vote for Him

May 22, 2020

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Friday told radio host Charlamagne Tha God that "If you have a problem figuring out if you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black."

"It don't have nothing to do with Trump — it has to do with the fact that I want something for my community," Charlamagne responded before Biden launched into a list of things he had done for the black community.

Biden was immediately criticized for the openly racist condescension, and expressed regret later in the day on a call with the U.S. Black Chambers.

“I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy,” he said. “I shouldn’t have been so cavalier.”

This was not Biden's first racist gaffe. In 2007, he said that Barack Obama--who would eventually pick Biden as his running mate--was "articulate" and "clean."

"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," he said. "I mean, that's a storybook, man."

Later that year, he said that in Delaware "you cannot go into a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent," in what was an obvious dig at the stereotype that Indian-Americans own convenience stores.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.