Joe Biden tells factory worker 'you're full of s***' in heated exchange over gun control during campaign stop

Kit Heren11 March 2020

US presidential candidate Joe Biden told a factory worker he was "full of s***" in a heated exchange about gun control policies during a campaign stop. ​

The former vice president was visiting a car manufacturing plant in Detroit when a worker said: "You are actively trying to end our second amendment right and take away our guns."

Mr Biden, 77, immediately shot down the accusation, telling him: "You're full of s***."

He continued: "I support the second amendment… I have a shotgun, I have a 20-gauge, 12-gauge, my sons hunt… I’m not taking your gun away at all."

Joe Biden confronted by auto workers over gun control
AFP via Getty Images

The second amendment is the part of the US constitution that guarantees "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms" and dates back to the end of the 18th century.

But it has proven controversial in recent decades, following a spate of school shootings and other public attacks.

Mr Biden's website describes gun violence as "a public health epidemic".

Democratic US presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden
REUTERS

The site says he will "pursue constitutional, common-sense gun safety policies", including bringing back a law former president Barack Obama passed which restricts people with mental health problems from buying guns. President Trump repealed the law in 2016.

In the exchange, the worker added: "But you were with Beto [O'Rourke] when you said you were going to take our guns."

But Mr Biden replied: "I did not say that," and later told the worker "don't be such a horse's a**."

The worker was referencing a Facebook video in which Mr Biden said former Democratic rival Mr O’Rourke will “change the face of what we deal with in regard to guns and assault weapons.”

Facebook has since put a disclaimer on the video, saying it contains "partly false information".

The video comes as Bernie Sanders was today facing calls to quit the Democratic nomination race as crushing victories for Mr Biden left the former vice-president as the runaway leader.

In a remarkable comeback, Mr Biden celebrated wins in the key battleground of Michigan, as well as in Mississippi, Missouri and Idaho.

The rivals were heading for a tie in Washington state, with Mr Sanders set to claim a sole victory in North Dakota, the smallest state to vote on ”Super Tuesday 2”.

Mr Biden’s bid to take on President Trump for the White House in November was on life support just two weeks ago, after poor performances in Iowa and New Hampshire, but he turned his campaign around when he swept South Carolina and then 10 of the 14 states that voted last Tuesday.

Now, after another big night, Mr Biden is looking to deliver a knockout blow to Mr Sanders when delegate-rich Florida holds its primary next week.

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