Biden speaks of racial 'open wound,' contrasting with Trump

Joe Biden lamented “open wound” of nation's systemic racism on Friday as he responded to police killing of a black man in Minnesota. He drew an implicit contrast with President Donald Trump, who has suggested authorities could respond with violence to protests that followed George Floyd’s death.

“ original sin of this country still stains our nation today,” Biden, presumptive Democratic presidential minee, said in remarks broadcast from his home in Wilmington, Delaware. "It’s time for us to take a hard look at uncomfortable truths.”

Biden anunced his bid for presidency last year arguing he’s uniquely positioned to unite a deeply divided country. He pointed to Trump’s response to a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, as unworthy of America’s people and values.

As country endures ar spasm of racial unrest, central premise of Biden’s campaign is being tested. Biden is responding by positioning himself as an empatic counter to Trump, who often struggles to convey emotion or connect on a personal level during moments of crisis.

Biden said he spoke with Floyd’s family and demanded justice for his death while calling for “real police reform that holds all cops up to high standards that so many of m actually meet.” president later said that he, too, had spoken with Floyd's family and called m “terrific people.”

Trump initially condemned police actions in Floyd’s death but later agitated unrest by tweeting that protesters could be met with violent police resistance. He threatened to take action to bring Minneapolis “under control,” called violent protesters outrd by killing “thugs” and revived a civil-rights-era phrase fraught with racist overtones.

“When looting starts, shooting starts,” Trump wrote in a tweet that was flagged by Twitter as violating rules against “glorifying violence.” White House said president “did t glorify violence. He clearly condemned it.”

By Friday afteron, Trump sought to ackwledge shocking circumstances of Floyd’s death while commending law enforcement.

“He was in tremendous pain, obviously, and couldn’t brea,” president said of Floyd. “It was a very, very sad thing for me to see it. We also kw that most policemen, you see great job y do."

Biden, without mentioning Trump by name, made clear he would approach presidency differently.

“This is time for incendiary tweets. This is time to encour violence,” Biden said. “This is a national crisis, and we need real leadership right w. Leadership that will bring everyone to table so we can take measures to root out systemic racism.”

Later appearing on PBS, Biden pointed more openly at Trump: “I think this president has stoked racism.”

Rep. Val Demings, a Florida Democrat considered a potential Biden running mate, criticized Trump's response.

“America is on fire,” she said in an interview Friday. “And this president is standing re with gasoline. He is dangerous. He’s destructive, he’s dangerous and he can’t even rise to this occasion.”

Amid outr, Biden tried to make rest of country feel what it was like to be African American in modern U.S. society.

“Every day, African Americans go about ir lives with constant anxiety and trauma, wondering who will be next,” he said, adding, “ anger and frustration and exhaustion — it’s undeniable.”

Biden must go beyond establishing himself as a calming alternative to president and demonstrate that he will take action that spurs unity he's promised. It’s a feat he may have to accomplish in a hurry if he wants to inspire African Americans to turn out for him in vember.

task is especially critical after Biden suggested last week that African American voters who were still undecided between him and Trump “ain't black,” a comment that some black leaders said were interpreted as taking ir votes for granted. Biden quickly said he regretted comment.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson said he believes nation is in chaos because of a lack of leadership in White House. But he said change will only come by putting people in positions of power who will be willing to boldly address needs of affected communities.

“I think real question is, what are people going to do about it and how are those who are in positions of authority, and those who are seeking positions of authority, how are y going to lay out a plan moving forward?” Johnson said. “It’s about what is collective will of this society to address systemic deficits that we all kw so well but lack political will to address.”

Moments of acute racial tension have afforded platforms for leadership from presidential candidates in past. Robert F. Kennedy was seeking White House in April 1968 and arriving in Indianapolis when he learned that Martin Lur King Jr. had been shot and killed. Kennedy stood on a flatbed truck and spoke about country having to move past terrible moments of racial strife — comments later credited with preventing unrest.

Kennedy was assassinated two months later.

Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza said Biden needs to use this moment to connect furr with black people and create a more robust black nda that specifically tackles need for policing reform and more.

“Black people cant wait for an nda that speaks to how it is that our lives will change under a new administration,” Garza said. “We currently have a president who is inciting violence against black communities and yet, on or hand, we have somebody who wants to lead this country that needs to go furr in ir plans, proposals and ir vision for how to make sure that we deal with state of emergency that black communities are facing.”

“It is t eugh to eng in politics as usual,” Garza added, “and expect results, as usual.”