Campaign

Pelosi on Biden: ‘I have no criticism of what he believes is his story to tell’

by Chris Mills Rodrigo - 06/20/19 10:51 AM ET

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday said she had “no criticism” of former Vice President Joe Biden invoking his past working relationships with two segregationist senators as an example of “civility.”

“What I think is most important for all the candidates is authenticity, they are who they are, they’ve lived a life and they have grown from their experiences, and I think that’s what he’s trying to tell us,” Pelosi told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell.

“I have no criticism of what he believes is his story to tell the American people, that he will work with anyone to get a good result for the American people.”

WATCH: Speaker Pelosi talks to @mitchellreports about Joe Biden’s comments on working with segregationists, President Trump’s campaign kickoff, her advice for other presidential candidates, and Hope Hicks’ congressional testimony. pic.twitter.com/OzFB9HRZ6R

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 20, 2019

Biden has faced mounting criticism over the last two days after invoking former Sens. James Eastland (D-Miss.) and Herman Talmadge (D-Ga.) during a speech at a fundraiser Tuesday night.

{mosads}The former Delaware senator cited his ability to work with the segregationists as an example of “civility” that no longer exists in Congress, pointing out that Eastland never called him “boy.”

Several of Biden’s fellow White House hopefuls, including Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), demanded Biden apologize for the comment.

“You don’t joke about calling black men ‘boys,’” Booker, who is black, said in a statement. “Men like James O. Eastland used words like that, and the racist policies that accompanied them, to perpetuate white supremacy and strip black Americans of our very humanity.”

Other Democratic leaders, including House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), defended Biden’s comments.

Biden rejected calls to apologize Thursday night, saying he doesn’t have “a racist bone” in his body.

His campaign has pushed back fiercely against the criticism he’s received over the comments.

“[Biden] did not praise a segregationist. That is a disingenuous take. He basically said sometimes in Congress, one has to work with terrible or down right racist folks to get things done. And then went on to say when you can’t work with them, work around them,” Symone Sanders, a senior adviser for the Biden campaign, tweeted.