Senator Tim Scott has spoken out against Joy Behar’s claim that he doesn’t “get” racism — despite being an African American in the Deep South.
Appearing on a podcast Tuesday, Scott, 57, from South Carolina, labeled The View host’s on-air remarks as the “stupidest, most offensive thing he’s ever heard on TV.” Behar’s comments came hours after Scott announced he was running for president.
The pointed characterization marked the first time the native South Carolinian spoke publicly about the controversy, having briefly addressed Behar’s comments in a tweet shortly after they were uttered on May 23.
That said, the post didn’t directly slam Behar, 80, but instead saw Scott, a devout Republican, criticize the left in general, declaring, “If a black conservative who believes in the future of this nation stands up to be counted become, they lose their minds.’
His remarks this time around – aired on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show – were much sharper and referenced the old days show blackface scandal that made headlines just a few years ago.
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Appearing on a podcast on Tuesday, Scott, 57, from South Carolina, labeled The View host’s comments last week as the “stupidest, most offensive thing he’s ever heard on TV”
Last Tuesday, Joy Behar bizarrely claimed that the Republican couldn’t possibly understand racism because of his political stance. Her comments came hours after Scott announced he was running for president
“There’s no question that a white lady dressed in a black face giving a black man advice probably doesn’t make sense in anyone’s mind, certainly not mine,” Scott said of Behar’s claims that he doesn’t understand racism because he’s a is Republican.
“More importantly, I find it offensive and disgusting and dangerous.”
The rookie senator elected to office last November first filmed Behar for showing a 1970s photo of herself dressed as a “beautiful African woman” in 2016, then pointed to partisan hypocrisy that he says paved the way for such comments.
“I’m used to the left attacking me for the truth about my life,” Scott explained to pollsters Clay Travis and Buck Sexton. “This proves their lies.”
The former South Carolina junior senator continued, “That’s why I say that — when I help write the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act [of 2017]they called me a prop.
“When I started talking about paying the police back, they called me a token.
“When I pushed back on President Biden’s most evil agenda, they called me the ‘n-word.’
“I’m used to it,” he explained. “This is what I find dangerous and offensive, because every young kid in America wants to think for themselves, draw their own conclusions.
“What they tell them is, ‘stay in your lane, don’t stick your head out, because we’re going to tell you how to think, because you never learned anything about what you’re supposed to think.'”
He added, “It’s literally the dumbest, most insulting thing I’ve ever seen on TV” — to hear these millionaire TV personalities tell me how to live my life.
The pointed characterization marked the first time the native South Carolinian spoke publicly about the controversy, having briefly addressed Behar’s comments in a tweet shortly after they were uttered on May 23.
His comments this time around – aired on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show – were much sharper, and referenced the recent daytime game blackface scandal, which came when in 2016 she showed this 1970s photo of herself dressed as a beautiful African woman.
Behar’s comments came hours after Scott announced he was running for president in Charleston on May 22
“As a black man, but more importantly, I advise every child to stay in your place, follow my example, or you too will reap the same harvest as Tim Scott or Clarence Thomas – or any other conservative who dares for himself thinking. .’
The mention of Thomas, the conservative, African-American lawyer who serves as a senior associate justice of the US Supreme Court, was also a reference to comments made by Behar last Tuesday — in which she compared the two black police officers while claiming they both do not understand systemic racism.
“He’s one of these guys, like Black Republican Clarence Thomas, who believes you have to pull yourself up by your boots, instead of understanding the systemic racism faced by African Americans in this country and other minorities,” she said about Scott.
‘He doesn’t get it. Neither does Clarence. That’s why they’re Republicans.’
The comment quickly caused division on social media, prompting several political commentators to weigh in and criticize Behar for her behaviour.
The comment quickly caused division on social media, prompting several political commentators to weigh in and criticize Behar for her behaviour.
Scott joined in this backlash, fanning the flames of outrage by touting himself as the candidate “the radical left fears most,” echoing statements made last week in Charleston during his 2024 campaign announcement.
Meanwhile, Behar has yet to respond to Scott’s call – who referenced a 2016 episode of The View in which the show’s top staffer admitted to dressing as, in her own words, “a beautiful African woman.”
Behar had reviewed a New York Times op-ed praising naturally curly hair, before showing viewers a photo of herself at a Halloween party, aged 29, with tan skin and short, dark, curly hair.
Former presenter Raven-Symoné asked Behar if that was her and asked ‘are you black?’
Behar said she dressed up as an African woman, but said, “I only had makeup that was a little bit darker than my skin.” But that’s my actual hair.’