Why Raumesh Akbari endorses Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination

Samuel Hardiman | Memphis Commercial Appeal

State Sen. Raumesh Akbari is going with Joe Biden.

The Memphis legislator endorsed Biden, the former Senator and vice president, for the Democratic presidential nomination this week. Akbari and Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris are scheduled to speak at a local Biden campaign event Tuesday.

She chose Biden, she said in an interview with The Commercial Appeal, because she believes the U.S. needs his presence on the international stage and he cares for the middle-class, which she called "the backbone of our society."

"Look at where we are right now on the international stage," Akbari said. "I think Vice President Biden has the most experience to ... right this ship and really improve and strengthen the bonds that have been broken under this current administration."

"I think of all the candidates who are on this stage he's the one with the total package ... You have someone who actually has a healthcare plan, a criminal justice plan, an economic development plan that makes sense. And it's practical," Akbari said.

Tennessee is among the 15 states holding a presidential primary on Super Tuesday, March 3, 2020, just under three months away.

Much of the national media attention that followed Biden announcing his presidential bid focused on his 36-year tenure in Senate, the views he took and whom he associated with. That did not matter to the Memphis legislator, who spoke at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

When asked, Akbari, an African-American, said she had no issues with Biden's opposition to school-busing or his friendly relationships with members of the Senate who were avowed segregationists.

"I don't because I think it's easy to examine the past and assign meaning to it, but if you look at the fact that he was the first vice president for the first black president in our nation's history. That fact says a lot," Akbari said.

She noted that as one of five Democrats to 28 Republicans senators that she, too, has built relationships with people whom she may not share views.

"If we want to be able to have forward progress, we have to build relationship's with people that we might not necessarily agree with on most issues. I think that's his strength," Akbari said.

"If you look at an issue like school-busing, it's pretty controversial in and of itself. Some people supported it aggressively and many of those who actually had to participate in it did not enjoy the process."

During the 2016 election cycle, Akbari supported Hillary Clinton. She spoke at a rally during Clinton's November 2015 visit to Memphis — when the former secretary of state visited with the family of Darrius Stewart, a man shot by the Memphis Police Department.

Samuel Hardiman covers Memphis city government and politics for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached by email at samuel.hardiman@commercialappeal.com