Sen. 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.) said in an interview airing Sunday that comments made last week by 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 about working with segregationist senators were "hurtful" to many African Americans.

"This is about him evoking a terrible power dynamic that he showed a lack of understanding or insensitivity to by invoking this idea that he was called son by white segregationists who, yes, they see in him their son," Booker said while appearing on ABC's "This Week."

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"I heard from many, many African Americans who found the comments hurtful," he added.

Booker said that he has "a lot of respect for Joe Biden" but that this gives him a responsibility to "be candid with him" and "to speak truth to power."

Sen. Cory Booker says Joe Biden's comments about finding consensus with segregationists in Congress evoked "a terrible power dynamic" and "showed a lack of understanding."



"I heard from many, many African-Americans who found the comments hurtful," he adds https://t.co/o03zUl66as pic.twitter.com/PVRrDaEmLU — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) June 23, 2019

Biden was criticized last week after he touted his work with two segregationist senators as an example of "civility." Booker called upon Biden to apologize for the remark.

Both Biden and Booker are among two dozen people competing for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Biden has consistently polled as the frontrunner of the crowded field.