June Democratic candidates debate in Miami FL: on Civil Rights

Joe Biden: I didn't praise racists; pro-civil rights as public defender

Joe BIDEN: It's a mischaracterization of my position across the board. I did not praise racists. That is not true. I was a public defender. I didn't become a prosecutor. I came out and I left a good law firm to become a public defender, when my city was in flames because of the assassination of Dr. King. In terms of busing, you would have been able to go to school the same exact way because it was a local decision made by your city council. That's fine. That's one of the things I argued for. Everything I have done in my career, I ran because of civil rights, I continue to think we have to make fundamental changes in civil rights, and those civil rights include not only African-Americans, but the LGBT community.

Joe Biden: I didn't oppose busing; I opposed DOE ordering it

V.P. Joe BIDEN: I did not oppose bussing in America. What I opposed is busing ordered by the Department of Education.

HARRIS: There was a failure of states to integrate public schools. I was part of the second class to integrate Berkeley public schools.

BIDEN: Because your city council made that decision.

HARRIS: That's where the federal government must step in. That's why we have the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act. That's why we need to pass the Equality Act. That's why we need to pass the ERA, because there are moments in history where states fail to preserve the civil rights of all people.

Kamala Harris: Biden worked with racist senators to oppose busing

Sen. HARRIS: I'm going to direct this at Vice President Biden, I do not believe you are a racist, and I agree with you [on] to the importance of finding common ground. But it was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two senators who built their reputations on segregation. You also worked with them to oppose busing. There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bussed to school every day. That little girl was me. So I will tell you that, on this subject, it cannot be an intellectual debate among Democrats. We have to take it seriously.

Kamala Harris: Federal government protects civil rights when states fail

V.P. Joe BIDEN: I did not oppose bussing in America. What I opposed is busing ordered by the Department of Education.

HARRIS: There was a failure of states to integrate public schools. I was part of the second class to integrate Berkeley public schools.

BIDEN: Because your city council made that decision.

HARRIS: That's where the federal government must step in. That's why we have the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act. That's why we need to pass the Equality Act. That's why we need to pass the ERA, because there are moments in history where states fail to preserve the civil rights of all people.

Kirsten Gillibrand: Publicly funded elections returns power to the people

Cory Booker: Threats to LGBTQ people can no longer be ignored

Julian Castro: Racial and social justice as important as economic justice

Sen. Amy KLOBUCHAR: My life and my work in the Senate has been about economic opportunity.

Q: What Senator Klobuchar is describing there, an economic justice agenda, is that enough to mobilize Latino voters to stand with the Democratic Party?

Secretary Julian CASTRO: I also think that we have to recognize racial and social justice. I'm proud that I'm the only candidate so far that has put forward legislation that would reform our policing system in America and make sure that no matter what the color of your skin is, that you're treated the same, including Latinos who are mistreated too oftentimes by police.

Julian Castro: Pass ERA to ensure equal rights & equal pay for women

A: I would do several things, starting with something we should have done a long time ago, which is to pass the Equal Rights Amendment finally in this country. And also pursue legislation so that women are paid equal pay for equal work in this country. It's past time that we did that. If we want to be the most prosperous nation in the 21st century, we need to make sure that women are paid what they deserve.

Tulsi Gabbard: No one in government should tell anyone who they can love