Andrew Yang is now apologizing after claiming in a tweet that podcaster Joe Rogan can’t be racist because he works with Black.
The former Democratic presidential candidate defended Rogan from accusations of racism after a viral video shows Rogan using the n-word repeatedly over the years.
“I don’t think Joe Rogan is a racist, the man interacts and works with Black people literally all of the time,” Yang tweeted.
Yang deleted his original tweets after swift backlash on social media including from Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison, who wrote “Dude… seriously?! You joking right Andrew? Is that now the new defining line… working with folks?!”
In a new thread on Monday, Yang said “racism is real,” and admitted that he “made a mistake in an earlier tweet tonight that downplayed these realities.”
“I deleted the tweet because it was wrong-headed,” he added. “It also hurt people, which is never my intent. I’m sorry. I’m learning and appreciate those who reached out to express their feelings.”
Rogan apologized for his use of the n-word in a lengthy Instagram video on Saturday saying: “I’m making this video to talk about the most regretful and shameful thing that I’ve ever had to talk about publicly.”
“I know to most people there is no context where a white person is ever allowed to say that word, nevermind publicly on a podcast. And I agree with that now,” Rogan continued. “I haven’t said it in years. But for a long time, when I would bring that word up – like if it would come up in conversation, instead of saying ‘the N-word’ I would just say the word. I thought as long as it was in context, people would understand what I was doing.”
