Posted on 10/25/2007 5:38:22 PM PDT by personalaccts
WASHINGTON (CNN) — In what the Washington Post is describing as a "stumble," Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said in an interview with the paper Wednesday that Washington's high minority population is one of the reasons for the city's education problems.
Explaining why schools in Iowa are performing better than those in Washington, D.C., Biden told the Post, "There's less than one percent of the population of Iowa that is African American. There is probably less than four of five percent that are minorities. What is in Washington? So look, it goes back to what you start off with, what you're dealing with."
"When you have children coming from dysfunctional homes, when you have children coming from homes where there's no books, where the mother from the time they're born doesn't talk to them — as opposed to the mother in Iowa who's sitting out there and talks to them, the kid starts out with a 300 word larger vocabulary at age three. Half this education gap exists before the kid steps foot in the classroom," the Delaware Democrat added.
The paper reports Biden's campaign quickly sought to clarify the remarks, saying in a statement that the senator was not making a "race-based distinction.
This isn't the first time Biden's words have caused controversy. Last February, on the same day he officially announced his presidential bid, a newspaper quoted the senator describing Sen. Barack Obama as "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy."
And, in a June 2006 appearance in New Hampshire, Biden commented on the growth of the Indian-American population in Delaware by saying, "You cannot go into a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. Oh, I'm not joking."
– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
(Excerpt) Read more at politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com ...
Worse than Macaca.
Racist pig! Racist swine!!
Oh, wait. He’s a Democrat.
He misspoke! Honest.
The MSM will smother the life out of this story, en masse, before it even has the opportunity to decently spark. Guaranteed.
Biden’s a presidential candidate?
Iowa Mothers will vote for him...
The truth sometimes hurts both the truth teller and the subject. Foot in mouth indeed.
how long before the press finds a way to blame it on Bush?
He spoke truth. Stone him!
On average, they are less educated. On average, they are worse parents. I personally think this has nothing to do with genetics, but it is nonetheless true.
and I have a few thoughts on your comment
Seriously, this guy has made a bunch of these “stumbles” when it comes to race. He will get a pass.
Biden's campaign quickly sought to clarify the remarks, saying in a statement that the senator was not making a "race-based distinction."
NOT making a race based distinction? wow... Biden repeatedly shows America whats really in his heart, but never has to be accountable for it.
It has been hard for the Democrats to switch from the days of the KKK, to the days when they aren’t supposed to talk racists. But every once in a while, it just flops out. Fortunately sheets Byrd is getting too old to carry the standard, but it looks like Biden wants to pick it up.
if he could get the other foot in his mouth he’d fall on his face
James Watson, the renowned Nobel scientist, had to resign over something similar......
Stumble. STUMBLE? Heck yes, he stumbled. He was trying to walk with both feet in his mouth.
Can you imagine if he had -(R) behind his name?
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