Nina Turner is not slowing down with her criticism of leading Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden. The national co-chairwoman of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign has accused Biden of pimpin’ President Barack Obama’s legacy for his own benefit in several interviews – specifically when it comes to securing the Black vote.
“No one should be able to ride the coattails of the first African American president. You need to earn the Black vote every single time that you run and that really is my message,” Turner said.
Earlier this month in an interview with Hill TV, Turner said Biden was polling so well among older Black voters because he was reaping from the sentiment Black people have for Obama.
“In the African-American community, especially among older voters, is a reverence for President Barack Obama and this whole notion that if Vice President Biden was good enough for resident Obama, he should be good enough for us,” Turner said.
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Turner challenged Black people to stop letting the Democratic Party take their votes for granted.
“No matter who people want to support, make people earn it; and not just because of proximity,” Turner said passionately. “It really is an insult to the African-American community, and I do want my community to wake up to the fact that the Democratic Party should not be allowed to just take us for granted every single election cycle.”
She doubled down on her criticism of Biden in an interview with political pundit and media maker Tim Black. During an episode of Black’s show, Turner contrasted the difference between Sanders working to earn every Black vote and Biden’s belief he’ll just get them by default.
“The Senator is rising up and you know why he is, because we’re not taking any voter for granted. We earned each and every vote,” Turner said. “Tim Black, we’re not like some candidates who think their proximity to the Black president gets them a Black firewall, hello somebody! We’re not like other candidates who just have a flat-out disdain and disregard for the Black community, hello somebody!”
Biden has a murky record on race including his opposition to busing as a means of desegregation and saying his kids would grow up in a “racial jungle” if the matter weren’t addressed properly. He also played a hefty role in passing the 1994 crime bill that exacerbated the mass incarceration of Black people in America.
Despite his questionable calls on racial issues, unimpressive debate appearances and his refusal to give a direct answer clarifying his stance on paying reparations to Black American descendants of slavery, Biden is still the frontrunner among Black people.
Turner credited the issue with a lack of clarity on Biden’s true record as a legislator.
“[It comes from] short memories … or not a true understanding of the history. Sometimes it takes a while for somebody’s record to really catch up with them. The beautiful thing about it is that the younger generation sees it clearly for what it is,” Turner said. “Younger people are having those conversations with their mothers, their fathers, their grandparents about really taking a critical look and a critical eye at these candidates and that includes the vice president.”
Some applauded Turner’s words, others criticized them.
