Julián Castro promises he wasn't trying to insult Joe Biden's age


Following Thursday night's Democratic debate, Julián Castro stressed that he wasn't trying to insult former Vice President Joe Biden when he asked why he can't remember anything.
ABC News reporters asked Castro if he regretted an exchange he had with Biden early in the debate — while discussing health care, Castro was adamant that Biden had said one thing about his plan before flip-flopping and giving a different answer. "Are you forgetting what you said two minutes ago?" Castro asked Biden, which elicited some boos from the crowd.
Castro said no, he didn't feel bad about this, because "it's an argument about health care policy, this is important. We're talking about a policy that is going to impact every single person in this country."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Several reporters on Twitter, as well as ABC News' Jon Karl, said Castro was wrong to accuse Biden of changing his answer, with Karl saying Castro "mischaracterized" Biden's words. Castro insisted that he read the transcript, and was correct with his criticism. The 44-year-old also denied that his remark on Biden's memory was meant to call attention to the fact that he is 76 years old. "I wasn't taking a shot at his age," Castro said, adding, "It's not an attack on Vice President Biden, something about the personalities. It's about the health care policy." Catherine Garcia
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The banned pesticide poisoning Caribbean paradise
Martinique and Guadeloupe have been rocked by soaring cancer rates amid other diagnoses
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Today's political cartoons - March 23, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - alphabet censorship, American de-education, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 unlawfully funny cartoons about the Executive vs the Judiciary
Cartoons Artists take on halting deportations, attacking judges, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Reports: Musk to get briefed on top secret China war plan
Speed Read In a major expansion of Elon Musk's government role, he will be briefed on military plans for potential war with China
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump signs order to end Education Department
Speed Read The move will return education 'back to the states where it belongs,' the president says
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pauses $175M for Penn over trans athlete
Speed Read The president is withholding federal funds from the University of Pennsylvania because it once allowed a transgender swimmer to compete
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump purports to 'void' Biden pardons
Speed Read Joe Biden's pardons of Jan. 6 committee members are not valid because they were done by autopen, says Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
White House ignores judicial deportation blocks
Speed Read The Trump administration deports alleged Venezuelan gang members under a wartime law, defying a court order
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Schumer: Democrats will help pass spending bill
Speed Read The Democrats end the threat of government shutdown
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pulls nomination of anti-vax CDC pick
Speed Read Former Florida congressmen Dr. Dave Weldon was nominated to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Judges tell Trump to rehire fired federal workers
Speed Read Trump and Elon Musk's DOGE team face a big setback in their efforts to shrink the federal workforce
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published