Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) is attempting to clarify presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s remarks he made on Thursday surrounding the Black and Latino communities.
During the annual convention of the National Association of Black Journalists and National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Biden claimed “unlike the African-American community,” the Latino community is an “incredibly diverse community,” as IJR previously reported.
Bottoms suggested Biden’s comments related to voting patterns and knows Biden does not believe the Black community is “monolith.”
She explained she had had conversations with Biden about the “growing importance and voice of the progressive wing of the party” powered by younger members of the Black community.
Bottoms reiterated Biden does not think the Black community is not diverse.
“I know that he does not believe that, and I know that as his policies have come forth, his policies reflect his appreciation for the diversity within the African American community,” Bottoms said.
She added, “And I do think obviously that it perhaps could have been expressed better, but I know his heart.”
Watch her comments below:
Atlanta Mayor @KeishaBottoms responds to Biden’s remark about the Black and Latino communities: “I believe what he was trying to articulate was just in terms of voting patterns … It perhaps could have been expressed better …” pic.twitter.com/ynpYFOarJJ
— The Recount (@therecount) August 7, 2020
Biden’s remarks received harsh criticism from President Donald Trump.
Trump told reporters outside of the White House on Thursday Biden “totally disparaged and insulted the Black community.”
Biden took to Twitter to clarify his comments, as IJR previously reported.
He said “in no way” did he intend to suggest the Black community is monolith “not by identity, not on issues, not at all.”
Biden promised he “will never stop fighting for the African American community.”
His campaign told ABC News, “It’s clear that Vice President Biden was referring to diversity of attitudes among Latinos from different Latin American countries. The video that is circulating is conveniently cut to make this about racial diversity but that’s not the case.”
Biden is garnering support from minorities according to a Telemundo and BuzzFeed News poll that shows 75% of young non-Latino Black voters said they would vote for Biden, along with 72% of young non-Latino Asian voters.
