Including Busing News Today

Committed to civil rights. i want to be absolutely clear about my record and position on racial justice, including busing. i never, never, never, ever opposed voluntary busing. >> jeff, how worried is the biden campaign about this? this is a story that has been going on since the debate. whats your sense of how theyre seen and whether they are afraid of blowback, particularly from african-american voters? >> the biden campaign right now i think realizes that this presidential campaign is not goi...

That but you also worked with them to oppose busing, and you know, there was a little girl in california who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bussed to school every day. that little girl was me, so i will tell you that on this subject, it cannot be an intellectual debate among democrats. we have to take it seriously. do you agree today that you were wrong to oppose busing in america then? do you agree? >> i did not oppose busing in america. what i opposed...

>> thats my point. my only point is it is easier to level a critique of a white democratic politician in 1976, 1977 being against busing which, to be clear substantively morally wrong in my view, but politically the correct view in terms of the majority of his white voters, the majority of the voters in delaware. its easier to level that critique than to affirmatively say in 2019 we should have federally mandated desegregation plans that involve busing kids. >> you know, joe biden sent out a mes...

Busing, the busing i never -- you would have been able to go to school the same exact way because it was a local decision made by your city council. thats fine. thats one of the things i argued for, that we should not be -- we should be breaking down these lines. >> vice president biden, do you agree today, do you agree today that you were wrong to oppose busing in america then? do you agree? >> i did not oppose busing in america. what i opposed is busing ordered by the department of education. ...

Southern democrats who are notorious segregationist senators. >> im going to direct this at vice president biden. i do not believe you are a racist, and i agree with you when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground, but i also believe -- and its personal, and i was actually very -- it was hurtful -- to hear you talk about the reputations of two united states senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country. and it was not only that...

I feel like im the last generation. i was actually bussed to a magnet school in chicago from the south side to the north side literally of the city, and it was -- it was, you know, for so many of us, it was transformational in terms of our life trajectories and mobility. heres the thing, nobody under 40 actually knows what that means. like what does busing mean? what does voluntary or forced or mandated desegregation mean? so its interesting that its now back center, right in the center of the d...

Racial justice, including busing. i never, never, never, ever opposed voluntary busing, and as a program that senator harris participated in and made a difference in her life. >> joining me now for more on the first round democratic debate, howard dean, former dnc chair and a 2004 democratic presidential candidate, amy allen president of she the people and dorian warren president of the national community organizing group community change. amy, let me start with you. theres two levels i want to ...

Said yesterday. >> we all know that 30 seconds to 60 seconds on a campaign debate exchange cant do justice to a lifetime committed to civil rights. i want to be absolutely clear about my record and position on racial justice, including busing. i never, ever, ever opposed voluntary busing. >> okay, cut to a few minutes later when he had this comment which drew criticism, and this time the criticism came from senator cory booker. here it is. >> we have to recognize that kid wearing a hoodie may ve...

About my record and position on racial justice including busing. i never, never, any, ever opposed voluntary busing. >> reporter: but the issue wasnt voluntary busing. it is the federal government stepping in to desegregate schools which biden repeatedly opposed. >> the one way to push civil rights in america further back is to promote busing because its a bankrupt policy. >> reporter: in 2019, the policy isnt really about busing but a conversation about democrats and whether biden fits the mome...

Mills here with me. how did they not know? heres joe bidens defense, by the way. take a listen. >> we all know that 30 seconds to 60 seconds on a cam bane debad -- campaign debate exchange cant do justice to a lifetime commitment to civil rights. i want to be absolutely clear about my record and position on racial justice including busing. i never, never, never, ever opposed voluntary busing. i fought my heart out to ensure that civil rights and voting rights, equal rights are enforced everywher...