Jill Biden responds to criticism of husband’s civil rights records

Jill Biden defended her husband, 2020 Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden, against attacks on his record on civil rights issues in a new interview that aired Monday, saying voters know the former vice president’s values. 

“The one thing you cannot say about Joe is that he’s a racist,” Biden told CNN’s Chris Cuomo, sitting beside her husband. “He got into politics because of his commitment to civil rights, and then to be elected with Barack Obama.” 

Jill Biden also addressed Sen. Kamala Harris’s (D-Calif.) shots at Joe Biden during the first 2020 Democratic debate, when Harris called out his comments on working with senators who advocated for segregation and his opposition to federally mandated busing. Harris also said, however, she didn’t believe Joe Biden is racist.

{mosads} “As soon as I heard those words, I thought ‘uh, oh, what’s coming next,’” Jill Biden said.

“I think the American people know Joe Biden. They know his values. They know what he stands for, and they didn’t buy it,” Jill Biden continued.

Joe Biden’s polling across the country took a hit in the days after Harris’s standout debate performance, with one poll showing Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Harris tied with Biden among likely Iowa Democratic caucausgoers. 

Jill Biden said the polls are “coming back up,” and predicted that they will continue to rise for Joe Biden. 

“I think the more people get to know Joe, the higher the polls will get,” Jill Biden said.