Joe Biden has accused Democratic rival Bernie Sanders of “joining Trump” after both the Vermont senator and a Republican Party official criticised the former vice president’s heated exchange with an autoworker.
While visiting the Fiat-Chrysler car plant in Detroit on the day he and Mr Sanders look to win support from voters in six states, including Michigan, Mr Biden snapped at a worker who told him he was opposed to the 2nd Amendment, that part of the US constitution gun rights advocates claim gives them the right to bear arms.
“You’re full of sh*t. I support the 2nd Amendment,” Mr Biden told the worker.
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“Just like right now if you yelled ‘fire’, that’s not free speech. And from the very beginning: I have a shotgun, I have a 20-gauge, a 12-gauge. My sons hunt, guess what? You’re not allowed to own any weapon, I’m not taking your gun away at all.”
Mr Biden’s exchange was captured live and soon went viral.
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1/25 Bernie Sanders
The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform
Getty
2/25 Joe Biden
The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling
EPA
3/25 Elizabeth Warren
The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street
Reuters
4/25 Amy Klobuchar
Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings
Getty
5/25 Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial “stop and frisk” programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor
6/25 Tulsi Gabbard
The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
Getty
7/25 DROPPED OUT: Pete Buttigieg
The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history
Getty
8/25 DROPPED OUT: Deval Patrick
The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party’s various voting blocs
AFP/Getty
9/25 DROPPED OUT: Beto O’Rourke
The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by “gross differences in opportunity and outcome”
AP
10/25 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris
The former California attorney general was introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions’ testimony. She has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class
AFP/Getty
11/25 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio
The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor
AFP/Getty
12/25 DROPPED OUT: Steve Bullock
The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated “We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people’s voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone.” He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor’s seat in a red [Republican] state
Reuters
13/25 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker
The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020
Getty
14/25 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam
Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended to run on a progressive platform against the “broken” federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord
Vice News
15/25 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand
The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that “healthcare should be a right, not a privilege”
Getty
16/25 DROPPED OUT: John Delaney
The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017
AP
17/25 DROPPED OUT: Andrew Yang
The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18
Getty
18/25 DROPPED OUT: Julian Castro
The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a “special meaning” for the Latino community in the US
Getty
19/25 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson
The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful
Getty
20/25 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell
One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory
Getty
21/25 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton
A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states
Getty
22/25 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee
Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change
AFP/Getty
23/25 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper
The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage
Getty
24/25 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan
Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters
Getty
25/25 DROPPED OUT: Tom Steyer
Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor
AFP/Getty
1/25 Bernie Sanders
The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform
Getty
2/25 Joe Biden
The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling
EPA
3/25 Elizabeth Warren
The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street
Reuters
4/25 Amy Klobuchar
Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings
Getty
5/25 Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial “stop and frisk” programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor
6/25 Tulsi Gabbard
The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
Getty
7/25 DROPPED OUT: Pete Buttigieg
The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history
Getty
8/25 DROPPED OUT: Deval Patrick
The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party’s various voting blocs
AFP/Getty
9/25 DROPPED OUT: Beto O’Rourke
The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by “gross differences in opportunity and outcome”
AP
10/25 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris
The former California attorney general was introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions’ testimony. She has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class
AFP/Getty
11/25 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio
The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor
AFP/Getty
12/25 DROPPED OUT: Steve Bullock
The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated “We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people’s voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone.” He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor’s seat in a red [Republican] state
Reuters
13/25 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker
The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020
Getty
14/25 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam
Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended to run on a progressive platform against the “broken” federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord
Vice News
15/25 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand
The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that “healthcare should be a right, not a privilege”
Getty
16/25 DROPPED OUT: John Delaney
The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017
AP
17/25 DROPPED OUT: Andrew Yang
The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18
Getty
18/25 DROPPED OUT: Julian Castro
The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a “special meaning” for the Latino community in the US
Getty
19/25 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson
The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful
Getty
20/25 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell
One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory
Getty
21/25 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton
A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states
Getty
22/25 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee
Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change
AFP/Getty
23/25 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper
The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage
Getty
24/25 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan
Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters
Getty
25/25 DROPPED OUT: Tom Steyer
Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor
AFP/Getty
Among those to retweet and comment on the post was Mr Sanders’ campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, who wrote: “Oh no” to a tweet first posted by senior Republican communications official, Steve Guest.
Mr Biden’s own spokesperson, Symone Sanders, then commented: “This was predictable.”
While Mr Sanders has long campaigned for gun regulation, there was a point in his career more than a decade ago, when he voted for a measure that protected weapons manufacturers from lawsuits.
He has since changed his position on this, though it is an issue Mr Biden has often used to attack his rival for the Democratic nomination.
Trevor Noah mocks Kamala Harris’ endorsement of Joe Biden
Last month in Nevada, Mr Biden said the immunity granted to gunmakers was “flat out immoral”.
“Too many Republicans voted for that bill, and some Democrats too, including Bernie Sanders,” he said of the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which has enabled gun manufacturers to avoid prosecution when crimes have been committed with their products.
Mr Biden also attacked Mr Sanders for failing to support on five occasions the Brady Bill, the 1994 measure that permits background checks.
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On Tuesday, after his heated exchange with the autoworker, Mr Biden was asked reporters if he had any regrets about what happened.
“I’m surprised that Sanders is joining with Trump,” he said.
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“It’s surprising.”
