Back in June, at a fundraiser, Joe Biden reminisced about how he’d gotten things done in the Senate back in the day, even if it meant working with segregationist Democrats like James O. Eastland: “He never called me boy,” Biden recalled fondly.

Even before Kamala Harris got the chance to pound Biden at the debate over his remarks, Cory Booker called for Biden to apologize, saying he was “disappointed that [Biden] hasn’t issued an immediate apology for the pain his words are dredging up for many Americans.”

When a reporter brought up Booker’s concerns to Biden, he replied, “Apologize for what?” and going so far as to say that “Cory should apologize” to him.

Maybe it was the beating he took at the debate, but Biden on Saturday delivered on that apology, not to Booker personally but at another campaign event.

#NEWS: Biden apologizes for fondly recalling the segregationists who were in the Senate when he arrived. "Yes I was, I regret it. I'm sorry for any of the pain or misconception I may have caused anybody." Gets applause from mostly black crowd in SC. https://t.co/cf2V3cU5HY — Kyung Lah (@KyungLahCNN) July 6, 2019

Here’s the Biden quote: “I wrong a few weeks ago to somehow give the impression to people that I was praising those men who I successfully opposed time and again? Yes, I was. And I regret it. I’m sorry for any of the pain and misconception I may have caused anybody.” — Kyung Lah (@KyungLahCNN) July 6, 2019

That’s quite the turnaround — Kamala Harris would be impressed by that flip-flop.

On June 19 I asked @JoeBiden if he‘d apologize. He said “apologize for what?…Cory should apologize” Biden today: “Was I wrong a few weeks ago to somehow give the impression to people that I was praising those men who I successfully opposed time & again? Yes I was. I regret it” — Caroline Kenny (@carolinerkenny) July 6, 2019

On June 19th Biden hadn't seen his poll numbers dropping yet https://t.co/C2vKgzgjUi — Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) July 6, 2019

Too little too late. Joe! Please clap ?? — mayor.ray (@buddie_ray) July 6, 2019

He grudgingly says the correct staff-written answer, out loud and in public.

Too late?

Much. — Tim O'Donnell (@TimODee16) July 6, 2019

Caution: Handlers at Work — Lachrymose123 (@lachrymose123) July 6, 2019

Time to move on. It'll all come out in the wash one way or the other. — BC13 (@BryanCary4) July 6, 2019

I wonder if people realize just how bad of a candidate Biden really is.. I mean… wow — Isiah Blair? (@forevertawl) July 6, 2019

We’ll admit … he’s way worse than we ever expected. Whoever was propping him up and stifling his gaffes while he was vice president under Barack Obama must have been a very busy person.

Today he's apologizing and regretting that everyone got the wrong impression and misunderstood him. He'd rather gut himself, tie knots in his entrails and drag them behind him in the dirt than admit he's ever been wrong. ? — Women's World Cup Porn?nska (@Pedinska) July 6, 2019

Its almost like people just say things — Jeremiah Cioffi (@jjcioffi89) July 6, 2019

Apology 2 1/2 weeks later, after saying there as nothing to apologize for… is rather out of touch. — stretchdogg (@stretchdogg) July 6, 2019

It was a “mostly black” audience, and he’d already used the line about Mitt Romney “puttin’ y’all back in chains,” so he had to find a different way to pander.

That's the longest ever response to a milk spill in the dairy aisle ever. Horrible staff work. Borrible candidate work. #brutal #biden — Authentic Upstream (@authenticFNL) July 6, 2019

Translation: “Was I wrong ever? No because obviously I was right then & I’m right now because I’m Joe Biden & I have a black guy in my back pocket (he’s my black friend, besides why else do u think I was his VP if not to use him now?) but u people want an apology so here it is.” — barbara ziel (@barbaraziel) July 6, 2019

Rather see a POTUS who can learn and change than a misogynistic bigot who wants to keep America in the 1950s. — SL McIntosh ?? (@Mcatlady54) July 6, 2019

You do understand that the misogynistic bigot who wants to keep America in the 1950s is Joe Biden, right? The dude had to come out with a video claiming that he’d learned his lesson about sniffing women’s hair and nuzzling their necks.

Joe Biden didn't just *work with* segregationists. He actively promoted segregation. https://t.co/U2rqI0HBNd pic.twitter.com/ijnIEHNEDv — Breach of Trust (@BreachOf) July 6, 2019

Maybe Biden ought to follow Harris’s lead if he can figure out her position: She’s come out and said she supports busing and believes the federal government has a role to play … but then a couple of days later she said it should be “considered,” not mandated.

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