Booker defends Castro remarks on Biden

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) defended former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro’s jabs at former Vice President Joe Biden during the Democratic presidential debate Thursday night in Houston.

“Look, I think that we are at a tough point right now, because there’s a lot of people who are concerned about Joe Biden’s ability to carry the ball all the way across the end line without fumbling,” Booker said on CNN after the debate.

Booker weighed in on Biden’s overall debate performance by also referencing a moment earlier in the debate in which Biden mentioned people listening to “record players.”{mosads}

“There are definitely moments when you listen to Joe Biden and you just wonder,” he said.

Asked whether he was suggesting Biden was too old to be president, Booker responded, “I’m definitely not saying that, because I’ve listened to Joe Biden over the years, and often felt that there are times when he’s going on, or meandering in his speech.”

Booker maintained that Castro “has every right to call that out.”

“I do think that tone and tenor is really important and we can respect Vice President Biden and disagree with him,” he added.

In a tense exchange between Biden and Castro, the former Cabinet official accused Biden of forgetting the details of his own health care policy proposals.

“Are you forgetting what you said two minutes ago?” Castro asked as Biden insisted a buy-in was not necessary for his proposal.