President Biden was criticized Wednesday for referring to Democrat Gov. Wes Moore, Maryland’s first black governor, as “boy,” which is considered to be a ‘dehumanizing’ term for black men, according to Sen. Cory Booker.
“You got a hell of a new governor in Wes Moore, I tell ya,” Biden told a crowd of union workers during a speech in Lanham, Maryland.
“He’s the real deal, and the boy looked like he could still play. He got some guns on him,” Biden said of Moore, who played football for John Hopkins University.
Joe Biden refers to Democrat Wes Moore (Maryland's first Black governor) as "boy."
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) February 16, 2023
IMAGINE if a Republican said this instead of Biden.
pic.twitter.com/3n0C71hbBe
This is not the first time Biden has used the offensive term, and in 2019, Booker called him out for it.
This is a pattern for Biden: https://t.co/PPKGxLl1Os
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 15, 2023
“I know the deeply harmful and hurtful usage of the word ‘boy’ and how it was used to dehumanize and degrade [black men]," Booker said.
Biden “should know that using the word boy in the way he did can cause hurt and pain,” Booker added. “We need [Biden] to be sensitive to that.”
In 2019, Cory Booker slammed Biden for using the word “boy”
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 15, 2023
“I know the deeply harmful and hurtful usage of the word ‘boy’ and how it was used to dehumanize and degrade [African American men].” pic.twitter.com/JkR6iJSWoU
According to the New York Post, however, Biden has also referred to white lawmakers as "boy."
During a speech on student loan forgiveness in October, Biden used the word to refer to Democrat Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware.
“And Chris Coons, who has the seat I used to hold. Only difference is that he not only has a law degree, he has a divinity degree. The boy can preach,” Biden said.