'I should not have been so cavalier': Joe Biden apologizes for saying black voters deciding between him and Trump 'ain't black'

CBS News reported that Biden dialed into a call of black business leaders to say: "I should not have been so cavalier. I've never, never, ever taken the African American community for granted."
At the end of his interview after host Charlamagne Tha God asked him to come back on th show and answer more questions, Biden said, "You got more questions? Well, I'm telling you: If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black."
In a statement posted to Twitter, senior Biden adviser Symone Sanders emphasized that Biden "spent his career fighting alongside and for the African American community" and said the remarks were a joke.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

Former Vice President and presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden apologized Friday afternoon for saying African-American voters deciding between him and President Donald Trump "ain't black" in an interview early Friday morning on the popular radio show The Breakfast Club.

CBS News reported that Biden dialed into a call of black business leaders with the U.S. Black Chamber to express regret over his remarks, saying, "I should not have been so cavalier. I've never, never, ever taken the African American community for granted."

Biden also said he "shouldn't have been such a wise guy," on the call, adding, "no one should have to vote for any party based on their race, their religion, their background," according to CBS.

The former VP made the remarks in a Friday morning interview with Charlamagne Tha God, the host of The Breakfast Club , who asked Biden some tough questions about his record on issues affecting the black community and his commitment to African-American voters.

Towards the end of their interview, a Biden aide interrupted to let them know Biden had run of time and had to go so that his wife, Jill Biden, could do an interview in their studio in the basement of their home in Delaware.

"You can't do that to black media!" Charlamagne said.

"I've got to do that to white media and black media, because my wife has to go on at 6 o'clock," Joe Biden said before looking at his watch and joking, "Uh oh, I'm in trouble."

"Listen, you've got to come see us when you come to New York, VP Biden," Charlamagne said. "Because it's a long way until November. We got more questions."

"You got more questions? Well, I'm telling you: If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black," Biden said.

Charlamagne responded: "It don't have nothing to do with Trump. It has to do with the fact I want something for my community. I would love to see"

"Take a look at my record, man. I extended the Voting Rights Act 25 years. I have a record that is second to none. The NAACP has endorsed me every time I've run. I mean, come on," Biden said. "Take a look at the record."

While Biden's team said he made his comments seemingly in the spirit of humor, they received swift condemnation from his opponents. Senior Trump campaign advisor Katrina Pierson and Sen. Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, held a phone press conference to denounce them as offensive and patronizing to black voters.

In a statement posted to Twitter , senior Biden adviser Symone Sanders emphasized that Biden "spent his career fighting alongside and for the African American community" and said the remarks were a joke.

"The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest, but let's be clear about what the VP was saying: he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trump's any day. Period."

NOW WATCH: A cleaning expert reveals her 3-step method for cleaning your entire home quickly