Biden knocks Huckabee Sanders’s tweet criticizing stuttering moment: ‘It’s called empathy. Look it up’

Former Vice President Joe Biden knocked former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders over a since-deleted tweet that appeared to mock a moment of stuttering in the waning moments of Thursday’s Democratic presidential primary debate in Los Angeles.

While talking about Americans he has met along the campaign trail, Biden recalled a child telling him “I can’t talk,” and mimicked the child’s stutter over the word “I.” Biden has publicly spoken about his own struggles overcoming a stutter.

Almost immediately, Sanders tweeted, “I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I hhhave absolutely no idea what Biden is talking about.” 

She then followed it up with a tweet saying, “To be clear was not trying to make fun of anyone with a speech impediment. Simply pointing out I can’t follow much of anything Biden is talking about.”

Both tweets have since been deleted.

“I’ve worked my whole life to overcome a stutter,” Biden tweeted in reply. “And it’s my great honor to mentor kids who have experienced the same. It’s called empathy. Look it up.”

I’ve worked my whole life to overcome a stutter. And it’s my great honor to mentor kids who have experienced the same. It’s called empathy. Look it up. https://t.co/0kd0UJr9Rs

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 20, 2019

Sanders apologized soon after, saying “I actually didn’t know that about you and that is commendable.”

I actually didn’t know that about you and that is commendable. I apologize and should have made my point respectfully. https://t.co/fbmVAqDoWI

— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) December 20, 2019

However, before she was able to tweet her apology, lawmakers and commentators had responded.

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said, “Sometimes I delete tweets that I regret.”