Joe Biden Promises 'Era Of Action' To Battle Racial Inequality
Former Vice President Joe Biden on Monday promised an “era of action” to battle racial inequality, including racism in the criminal justice system, and called for Congress and local governments to immediately move to reform police departments and tactics.
Biden also harshly criticized President Donald Trump for his inflammatory and frequently racist rhetoric following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, comparing the president to the worst villains of the civil rights era. Floyd’s death has led to days of protests across the country, during which police departments have often deployed tear gas and violence.
“Look, the presidency is a big job. Nobody will get everything right. And I won’t either,” Biden said from Philadelphia’s City Hall. It was his first time leaving his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, in months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“But I promise you this: I won’t traffic in fear and division,” he added. “I won’t fan the flames of hate. I will seek to heal the racial wounds that have long plagued this country — not use them for political gain.”
The roughly 20-minute speech could provide something of a restart for Biden’s campaign, which has drawn limited attention following his victory in the Democratic primaries and the outbreak of the pandemic. Biden, who has a steady lead over Trump in most public polling, used the speech to appeal to both his base ― Black and older voters ― while using rhetoric and unveiling policy proposals that could encourage younger voters who remain skeptical of his candidacy.
He acknowledged that creating an equal justice system would take more than a single term in office, but said Congress should “immediately” pass “real police reform” ― including legislation to ban police chokeholds, legislation to improve oversight and accountability, a ban on transferring military weaponry to police departments and the creation of a uniform...
