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KAMALA HARRIS: I do not believe you are a racist. And I agree with you when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground. But I also believe-- and it is personal. And I was actually very-- it was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country.
And it was not only that, but you also worked with them to oppose busing. And you know, there was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools. And she was bused to school every day. And that little girl was me.
So I will tell you that on this subject, it cannot be an intellectual debate among Democrats. We have to take it seriously. We have to act swiftly.
JOE BIDEN: That's a mischaracterization of my position across the board. I did not praise racists. That is not true, number one.
Number two-- if we want to have this campaign litigated on who supports Civil Rights and whether I did or not, I'm happy to do that. I was a public defender. I didn't become a prosecutor. I came out and I left a good law firm to become a public defender, when in fact-- when in fact, when in fact my city was in flames because of the assassination of Dr King. Now in terms of busing, the busing-- I never. You would've been able to go to school the same exact way because it was a local decision made by your city council. They--
KAMALA HARRIS: Vice President Biden, do you agree today-- do you agree today-- that you were wrong to oppose busing in America then?
JOE BIDEN: No.
KAMALA HARRIS: Do you agree?
JOE BIDEN: I did not oppose busing in America. What I opposed is busing ordered by the Department of Education. That's what I opposed.
KAMALA HARRIS: Well, there was a failure of states to integrate public schools in America. I was part of the second class to integrate-- Berkeley, California Public Schools, almost two decades after Brown v Board of Education.
JOE BIDEN: Because your city council made that decision. It was a local decision.
KAMALA HARRIS: So that's where the federal government must step in.
JOE BIDEN: [INAUDIBLE]
KAMALA HARRIS: That's why we have the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act. That's why we need to pass the Equality Act. That's why we need to pass the ERA, because there are moments in history where states fail to preserve the civil rights of all people
JOE BIDEN: I have supported the ERA from the very beginning when I ran--
INTERVIEWER: OK, enough. Vice President Biden, 30 seconds.
