Al Sharpton on Sunday said former Vice President Joe Biden may have “disenchanted” critical black women Democrats “at a most critical time” by being “nowhere to be found” at this weekend’s Essence Fest in New Orleans.

Sharpton pointed out that every presidential candidate who appeared at Essence Fest, the largest gathering of black women in the nation, said that “black women are the backbone of the Democratic party.” Sharpton’s “forever First Lady” Michelle Obama refused to comment when asked about Biden’s debate exchange with Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Sharpton believed the former first lady was giving a “tight-lipped lifeline for an old friend who was nowhere to be found this weekend.”

Biden did apologize in South Carolina over the weekend for having praised the civility of segregationists in front of what Sharpton described as a “heavily-black South Carolina audience.”

“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 and again? Well, yes, I was, and I regret it. And I’m sorry for any of the pain or misconception they may have caused anybody,” Biden said in a carefully worded statement. “Should that misstep define 50 years of my record for fighting for civil rights, racial justice in this country? I hope not.”

But Sharpton said that “heavily black is not predominantly black” and wondered why Biden, who is trying desperately to use the Obama presidency as his shield, did not “go bold” and engage thousands of black women Democrats at Essence Fest.