Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersThe Hill's Campaign Report: Trump faces backlash after not committing to peaceful transition of power Bernie Sanders: 'This is an election between Donald Trump and democracy' The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump stokes fears over November election outcome MORE (I-Vt.) on Sunday again called on former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Hillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Fox News poll: Biden ahead of Trump in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Ohio MORE to apologize for touting his relationships with segregationists, saying Biden’s former colleagues participated in a “disgusting system.”

“It is one thing to work with people you have fundamental disagreements with, it’s another to kind of extol those relationships,” Sanders said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday. “You cannot be extolling people who really were part of a disgusting system.”

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“I think Joe owes the country an apology on that,” Sanders said, adding “Do I think Joe Biden is a racist? Absolutely not.”

Biden sparked controversy last week when he recounted his working relationship with vocal civil rights opponents Sens. James O. Eastland (D-Miss.) and Herman Talmadge (D-Ga.).

“At least there was some civility. We got things done. We didn't agree on much of anything. We got things done. We got it finished,” Biden said.

The comments drew condemnation and calls for apology from Sanders as well as several of Biden’s other rivals for the 2020 Democratic nomination, including Sens. Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death DHS opens probe into allegations at Georgia ICE facility MORE (D-N.J.) and Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisHundreds of lawyers from nation's oldest African American sorority join effort to fight voter suppression Biden picks up endorsement from progressive climate group 350 Action 3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing MORE (D-Calif.) and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio Bill de BlasioOVERNIGHT ENERGY: California seeks to sell only electric cars by 2035 | EPA threatens to close New York City office after Trump threats to 'anarchist' cities | House energy package sparks criticism from left and right EPA threatens to close New York City office after Trump threats to 'anarchist' cities New Year's Eve in Times Square to be largely virtual amid pandemic MORE.

Rep. John Lewis John LewisTrump to pay respects to Ginsburg at Supreme Court Democrats urge Biden to resist filibuster, court-packing calls Rep. Bill Pascrell named chair of House oversight panel MORE (D-Ga.), a leader in the civil rights movement who was beaten by police in Selma, Ala., defended the comments on Friday, telling reporters ““During the height of the civil rights movement we worked with people and got to know people that were members of the [Ku Klux Klan], people who opposed us, even people who beat us, arrested us and jailed us.”