Vice President Joe Biden used a Black History Month event at his official residence Monday night to decry the rich, both white and black, for stunting economic growth and suggested that “emancipation” is in order.

“A lot of wealthy white and black people aren't bad but they control 1 percent of the economy and this cannot stand,” Biden told about 100 guests, including past civil rights activists and NBC weatherman Al Roker.

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“It's not fair because the business experts are saying that concentration of wealth is stunting growth. So let's do something that's worthy of emancipation,” said Biden, according to a press pool report of the event.

Then, explaining the impact of Civil War era emancipation, Biden concluded, “What happened is not only did we move toward freeing black Americans but also the conscience of white Americans.”

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The White House has made income inequality an issue for the last two years of President Obama’s second term in office.

Biden detailed advancements for African-Americans, but said the administration’s job isn’t done.

“You know better than other groups that there is so much more to do. We find ourselves where a lot of disparities still exist,” he said according to the pool report.

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Biden: “We have a chance right now and in the next two years to make a fundamental change in that equation. We have come from crisis to recovery and we're in a position for a renaissance. We find ourselves in a position. We know that 60 percent of jobs require a college education but middle class and poor folks have been left behind. That's why we're about changing the equation for working families in America and that's why the president is focused on childcare to job training to college help and education to free community colleges. This is the way to change the equation and shame on us if we miss the opportunity.”

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.