what do you think about what marc morial just said? >> i agree with marc. i think it is the best of times when you look at it from a political landscape, but it is the worst of times, you know. when america gets a cold, african-americans have pneumonia. and right now, we have pneumonia, swine flu and everything else that's going on, because when you look at what's happening in our communities, we're losing our homes, unemployment is so high, and we have a big disparity between african-american men and women that's never been like this before as far as unemployment. when you look at -- and not even just with the economic point of view -- you look at the legal system and how it's set up and how it's put together to keep us in that system. because you go to jail to get rehabilitated, you come out, you have a felony, you can't get a job. you can't even get financial aid if it's a drug felony to go back to school to educate yourself. so, when you look at everything going on in this country, black america is probably 100 steps further back than what we were in th

he's introduced by the group's president, former new orleans mayor marc morial. from chicago, this is about 40 genex. >> 36 years in the united states senate the ranking member, our chair of the senate judiciary committee for 17 years. vice president biden was widely recognized for his work on criminal-justice issues including the landmark 1994 crime bill and violence against women act. as chairman -- [applause] ranking member of the senate foreign relations committee since 97. vice president biden played a pivotal role in shaping united states foreign policy. he has been at the forefront negative use of legislation related to terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, post cold war europe, the middle east and southwest asia. urban leaders, join me in giving a resounding welcome to the 47 the vice president of the united states, the honorable joseph biden. [applause] [cheering] >> thank you all very much. [applause] marc thank you, folks, it's an honor to be here. thanks for having me. [applause] speed line, it is good to be back with you again. marc and i -- i met

he is introduced by the group's president, former new orleans mayor marc morial. from chicago, this is about 40 minutes. >> 36 years in the united states senate. the ranking member, torture of the senate judiciary committee for 17 years. vice president biden was widely recognized for his work on criminal-justice issues, including the landmark 1994 crime bill and the violence against women act. as chairman-- [applause] ranking member of the senate foreign relations committee since 97, vice president biden played a pivotal role in shaping the united states foreign policy. he has been at the forefront of issues in legislation related to terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, post cold war europe, the middle east and southwest asia. urban leaders join me in giving a resounding welcome to the 47th vice president of the united states, the honorable joseph biden. [applause] >> thank you all very much. thank you folks. it is an honor to be here. thanks for having me. marc, it is good to be back with you again. i met mark's mom backstage and she reminded me that we met wh