Biden insults Bernie and his Bros?
Posted on: September 22, 2020 at 15:48:05 CT
Spanky KU
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Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden appeared to slight his former opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on Monday in an attempt to assuage voters' concerns that he would pursue a socialist agenda if he wins November's election.
Fox 11's Kia Murray asked Biden: “If you could address our camera directly, talk to the voters that are worried about socialism and you raising taxes."
"First of all, I promise," Biden said. "I've never broken my word. Anyone making less than $400,000 will not see one single penny in their tax raised.
"Number two, I beat the socialist. That's how I got elected. That's how I got the nomination. Do I look like a socialist? Look at my career, my whole career. I am not a socialist."
Biden added that he wasn't trying to "punish anybody" but wanted to make people pay "their fair share."
His comments underscored a growing divide between moderate Democrats and the party's more left-leaning members who appeared to gain prominence in the last two years. Conservatives have portrayed Biden as caving to progressive influences like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
During the Democratic primary season, Biden famously took heat from his rivals for merely expanding on former President Obama's health care legislation, rather than pursuing a more ambitioius option like "Medicare-For-All" touted by Sanders and other more progressive candidates.
One of his fiercest critics was Sanders, a self-identified democratic socialist who eventually endorsed Biden. The two reportedly developed six policy working groups on health care, immigration, the economy, criminal justice, climate action and education.