The publisher of the Miami New Times, Adam Simon, has issued an apology after the newspaper printed a controversial “advertorial” attacking President Joe Biden, which included the use of the N-word, Axios reported on Thursday.
“Miami New Times publisher Adam Simon tells Axios the ad is unacceptable and he’s changing the alt weekly’s ad review process,” reported Martin Vassallo. “Normally, he said, staffers — including himself — review ads prior to publication. But in this case, the ad came in past their deadline and Simon did not review it. The New Times will no longer take ads so late that they can’t be reviewed, he said. ‘Naturally, had I seen it, which I should have, I would not have let it run as is.’”
The ad, whose buyer was not disclosed, directs readers to the website for Blacks for Trump and features “JOE BIDEN SAYS ‘N—–‘” prominently at the top.
The advertorial took a well-known Biden speech from 1985 out of context. In that speech, then-Senator Biden quoted the racial slurs of Louisiana state legislators during a hearing with William Bradford Reynolds. Biden used these quotes to illustrate why Reynolds was unfit for his nomination as U.S. deputy attorney general, highlighting the racial animus behind the lawmakers’ remarks.
In the quote in question, Biden stated, “We already have a n—– mayor, we don’t need any more n—– big shots!” to expose the legislators’ gerrymandering efforts designed to prevent the election of Black lawmakers. Reynolds was accused of assisting in this plan despite being aware of its racial motivations.
Former President Donald Trump is currently trying to improve his low polling numbers with Black voters. While some surveys suggest he has made gains since 2020, he continues to struggle with this demographic. This was underscored when Trump held a campaign event in a Black church in Detroit, where nearly all attendees were white.
Simon’s swift action and apology underscore the seriousness with which the Miami New Times is treating this incident. The new ad review policy aims to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
