Biden: Rape comments weren’t political
In the days of yore when the GOP was still sane they would shudder at the thought of putting cuts for police on the table because they used to bill themselves as tough on crime instead of tough on women and gays.
Vice President Joe Biden said he was not making a political or ideological point when he suggested earlier in the week that rapes and other crimes would increase if Republicans block a measure aimed at preserving police jobs.
“They either are going to figure out how to help those cities the way we want to help them, or some other way. But if they don’t get help, crime is going to continue to go up. It’s that simple,” Biden said in an interview that aired Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “It’s not an ideological point, it’s not a political point, it’s just a physical reality.”
During a speech Wednesday, Biden said murder, robbery and rape rates have increased in cities like Camden, New Jersey and Flint, Michigan due to budget cuts. He added that those rates would rise further if Republicans oppose a $35 million provision of President Barack Obama’s jobs bill intended to pay for the hiring of police officers, teachers and firefighters.