Summary
Joe Biden was at a soul food restaurant in Los Angeles Thursday when he blasted U.S. President Donald Trump's "racist" taunts at a rally the night before.
Trump's escalating exploitation of racism puts the rawest divide in American life squarely on the ballot in 2020 .
The emotionally charged developments shook both political parties Thursday, a day after Trump continued his verbal assault against four minority congresswomen, this time at a raucous rally in North Carolina.
Trump has forced them into a moment of decision that could send the party in a far less certain direction.
Others question whether to follow Trump into the racial debate at all, concerned about alienating white working-class voters who may have backed Trump in the past and are uncomfortable with allegations of racism or bigotry.
In the battleground state of Wisconsin, Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler called on his party to take a cautious approach by explaining that Trump was using racism to distract voters from failing policies.
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand called Trump "un-American".
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested Trump's critics were going too far by accusing him of racism.
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