Democratic nominee Joe Biden in a town hall appearance on Thursday night with CNN host Anderson Cooper declared that Attorney General William Barr’s remarks calling the coronavirus lockdowns the greatest civil liberties violation since slavery were “sick.”
“The attorney general said last night that lockdowns were the greatest intrusion on civil liberties in U.S. history, other than slavery,” Cooper began.
“Well, look, two things. One, what they have taken out of context is the present knowledge about the lockdown,” Biden responded.
“I was asked if, in fact, there was a national emergency, and every — all the experts said lock it down. We’re not talking about locking down the whole country,” Biden stated. “What we need, Anderson, we need a criteria from state to state, within states as to what constitutes the risk in each of the regions.”
Biden then elaborated about the importance of wearing a mask and railed against President Donald Trump’s comments on masks, before the CNN host redirected the former VP back to the question.
“Do you think the comments by the attorney general contribute to people, I mean to encourage people not to wear masks?” Cooper pressed.
“Sure. Quite frankly, they’re sick,” Biden replied.
“Think about it. Did you ever think, any of you, the attorney general say that following the recommendations of the scientific community, to save your and other people’s lives is equivalent to slavery?” Biden asked. “People being put in chains?”
“You lost your freedom because he didn’t act. The freedom to go to that ball game, the freedom of your kid to go to school, the freedom to see your mom and dad in the hospital,” Biden said. “The freedom just to walk around your neighborhood because of failure to act. Responsibly.”
“This is, I, Anderson, I’ve been doing this a long time. I never, ever, ever, ever, thought I would see such a thoroughly, totally irresponsible administration,” he concluded.
Watch above, via CNN.