Now that the rioting across America is reportedly beginning to negatively affect his polling numbers, former Vice President Joe Biden blamed the outbreak of violence solely on Trump, even going so far as to say that the president is “rooting” for it.
Speaking with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell, Biden said that President Trump wants as much chaos in the streets as possible because it benefits him politically.
“The problem we have right now is we’re in Donald Trump’s America,” he said. “You know, to quote [Kellyanne] Conway, she said, and I’m paraphrasing today, that they’re looking for more violence and more disruption because it helps them politically. He views this as a political benefit to him, you know. He’s rooting for more violence, not less, and is clear about that. And what’s he doing? He’s kept pouring gasoline on the fire. This happens to be Donald Trump’s America.”
Joe Biden then shifted his attention over to the COVID-19 pandemic, declaring it “out of control” and wondering why the president does not focus on that more.
“Donald Trump’s America, COVID is out of control, he’s doing very little … he didn’t prepare for it, he hasn’t responded to it, and he continues to be in a position where he does nothing to deal with it. We have 15 million people out of work. It just is amazing how, if you noticed, they didn’t speak about COVID, and they didn’t speak about any of the reasons why we’re doing what’s happening in Kenosha is happening.”
Biden added that he condemns violence “in any form,” asserting that he spoke with the family of Jacob Blake, who also did not condone violence.
“I condemn violence in any form, whether it’s looting or whatever it is,” he said. “And by the way, when I spoke to the family, the mom was really incredibly straightforward. She said, this is not who we are as a family, this is not who my son is, we condemn the violence. So who’s rooting for the violence here?”
Andrea Mitchell then asked if it was appropriate to say that President Trump is actively rooting for violence for the political benefits it may have. Biden said it was appropriate.
“I think he views it as a political benefit,” Biden said. “I had a quote here from Kellyanne Conway, she said, ‘The more chaos and anarchy and vandalism and violence reigns, it’s better for us. It’s a very clear choice it presents for us.’ When has a president or a spokesperson for a president ever said something like that, ever?”
Earlier this week, CNN anchor Don Lemon openly worried that violence in cities like Kenosha, Wisconsin, could cost Joe Biden the White House in November if the Democratic Party does not take a more forceful stand against the unrest.
“I do think that what you said was happening in Kenosha is a Rorschach test for the entire country, and I think this is a blind spot for Democrats,” Lemon said on Tuesday night. “I think Democrats are ignoring this problem or hoping that it will go away, and it’s not going to go away.”
“So unless someone comes up with a solution over the next 73 days or 70 so, however many days — 68 days — so the problem is not going to be fixed by then, but what they can do — and I think maybe Joe Biden may be afraid to do it, I’m not sure, maybe he won’t, maybe he is,” Lemon continued. “He’s got to address it. He’s got to come out and talk about it. He’s got to do a speech like Barack Obama did about race.”