Former 2020 presidential hopeful Cory Booker (D-N.J.) is defending his endorsement of former Vice President Joe Biden.
Booker appeared on “The View” where host Sunny Hostin pointed out how some people see his endorsement of Biden as an “about-face” considering how Booker and Biden have clashed in the past. She continued explaining how Booker said he had concerns before about Biden’s “ability to carry the ball all the way across the end line without fumbling.”
He was asked, “What changed for you?” Booker replied, “Look I said at the very beginning of this… If I don’t win I am going to support the candidate that can best beat Donald Trump and I’m doing exactly that.”
Watch the exchange below
Booker and Biden shared a heated exchange over comments that were made on segregation. During a fundraiser, Biden talked about working closely with segregationists including Sen. James O. Eastland (D-Miss.) during his work in the Senate as IJR previously reported.
The comments caused outrage as Biden said, “At least there was some civility. We got things done.”
The senator then released a statement calling on Biden to apologize for his remarks. The statement read, “…I have to tell Vice President Biden, as someone I respect, that he is wrong for using his relationships with Eastland and [Sen. Herman] Talmadge (D-Ga.) as examples of how to bring our country together.”
Booker addressed these critiques of Biden in the past saying, “Of course you’re going to have critiques… We had some exchanges but they were always done with a sense of dignity.”
He continued to touch on what Biden’s candidacy meant for the Democratic party saying that he could help unify the Democrats. When talking about Biden beating Trump he said, “He has the best chance of not only beating Donald Trump but beginning to heal the country.”
Watch the exchange below
Biden is currently leading on the delegate count and is set to vie for more delegates during Tuesday’s crucial Michigan primary.
