Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden struggled at times during an economic reopening event in Philadelphia on Thursday where he spoke on racial issues that have been sparked by the death of George Floyd.
At one point during the lengthy discussion, Biden said that Floyd’s death was having a bigger impact than the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
“I came back from law school when Dr. King was assassinated,” Biden said. “And when I came back, my city is the only city in America occupied by the National Guard since Reconstruction, because a significant portion was burned to the ground.”
“But even Dr. King’s assassination did not have the worldwide impact that George Floyd’s death did,” Biden continued. “Because just like television changed the Civil Rights Movement for the better when they saw Bull Connor and his dogs ripping the clothes off of elderly black women going to church and fire hoses ripping the skin off of young kids – all those folks around the country who didn’t have any black populations heard about this, but didn’t believe it but they saw it. It was impossible to close their eyes. Well, with George Floyd, what happened to George Floyd, now you got how many people around the country? Millions of cellphones. It’s changed the way everybody’s looking at this. Look at the millions of people marching around the world, the world.”
WATCH:
Joe Biden: “Even Dr. King’s assassination did not have the worldwide impact the George Floyd’s death did.” 👀 pic.twitter.com/b9LzB9bbNq
— ForAmerica (@ForAmerica) June 11, 2020
Former NFL player and current Republican congressional candidate Burgess Owens responded to Biden’s remarks in a tweet, writing: “Spoken like a man still fighting for segregation after Martin Luther king Jr was assassinated. Maybe it didn’t change anything in you, but Martin Luther king Jr changed the world.”
At a different point during the talk, Biden appeared to not know what ‘Juneteenth’ was when he made remarks attacking President Donald Trump.
“He’s going down to Texas on Juneteenth, right?” Biden said. “The first major massacre, literally speaking of the Black Wall Street, right? Years ago.”
Juneteenth, also called Emancipation Day, is day commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. and is celebrated every year on June 19.
The Trump campaign responded to Biden’s remarks on Twitter by adding: “1. President Trump is going to Texas today, not June 19. 2. Juneteenth is about emancipation. 3. The massacre was in Oklahoma”
WATCH:
Joe Biden doesn't know what Juneteenth is:
"He’s going down to Texas on Juneteenth, right? The first major massacre … of the Black Wall Street, right?"
1. President Trump is going to Texas today, not June 19
2. Juneteenth is about emancipation
3. The massacre was in Oklahoma pic.twitter.com/vpNDQLwqBj— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) June 11, 2020
The Trump campaign also highlighted another portion of Biden’s talk when he was attacking Trump.
Biden said, “I think the federal government has abdicated any effective leadership role, the White House at least has abdicated that role you know, the rapidly rising, uh, um, uh, in with uh, with uh, I don’t know, uh his just inability to focus on any federal responsibility, him saying, I take no responsibility. It’s not my problem. I don’t have this responsibility.”
WATCH:
Joe Biden brain freeze: "You know, the rapidly rising, uh, um, uh, in with uh, with uh, I don't know, uh" pic.twitter.com/hpDOqUvaO8
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) June 11, 2020
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