Presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris dismissed claims Friday she dealt a “low blow” against former Vice President Joseph R. Biden’s voting record on civil rights.
“It was about just about speaking truth. As I’ve said many times, I have a great deal of respect for Joe Biden. He’s served our country for many years in a noble way. But he and I disagree on that. It is a debate. This is a campaign where we should be discussing issues and there will be contrasts,” the California Democrat said on “CBS This Morning.”
CBS’s Ed O’Keefe reported that after the debate, a Biden staffer called Ms. Harris’ attack “a low blow,” adding “it’s kinda hard to imply someone is racist when the [sic] were the VP to the first Black president.”
Ms. Harris said during the debate that while she didn’t believe Mr. Biden was racist, his touting of his experience working with segregationist senators and opposing busing of inner city students as a senator was “hurtful.”
“There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate the public schools and she was bused to public school every day and that little girl was me,” she said.
Mr. Biden called Ms. Harris’ notion a ’mischaracterization’ and defended his civil rights record.
Many analysts have largely praised Ms. Harris for her performance in the debates while criticized Mr. Biden’s as poor.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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