Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) traded heated barbs Sunday over Vice President Joe Biden's comment that GOP economic policies would put people “back in chains.”
"Last week that was an absolutely blatant appeal to racism it was, 'they're going to put you back in chains'," Giuliani said on CBS's "Face the Nation." "Emphasize the word 'back' and it was on a teleprompter. Now that's disgusting and someone in the Democratic party... should be able to stand up and say ... Joe Biden's going too far.'"
Giuliani defended his harsh criticisms of Biden last week.
“I’m just saying, I wonder if he’s got the kind of balance — probably what I should have said was the balance — to be the President of the United States,” said Giuliani on Sunday.
Last week, he had questioned whether Biden had the “mental capacity” to serve as vice president.
Durbin, a long-time friend of Biden was quick to jump in to defend his former colleague.
"There isn't a racist bone in Joe Biden's body and to suggest that, I think, is over the edge," Durbin shot back. "This fact is, Joe Biden, throughout his career, has fought for equality and opportunity and to suggest something else -- it may have been a misuse of words, but to take it to that extreme is just too much Mr. Mayor."
"Well, how about apologizing for it," Giuliani responded.
Biden ran into rhetorical trouble earlier last week after saying that Republican policies toward Wall Street would "put y'all back in chains," a comment that brought swift criticism from Republicans.
The Obama campaign has vehemently defended Biden, claiming that his remark was taken out of context and insists that Biden will continue to run with the president, despite media speculation that he might be forced off the ticket.
