Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday defended himself over comments that seemed to suggest Black voters are not Americans, following massive social media backlash the senator claims is not warranted, since he “misspoke.”
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) holds a news conference on Capitol Hill on February 5, 2020.
Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Key Facts
At a press briefing on Wednesday, McConnell responded to a question about his message to concerned voters of color as he worked to defeat a Democrat-backed voting rights bill by saying: “The concern is misplaced because if you look at the statistics, African American voters are voting in just as high a percentage as Americans.”
At an infrastructure event in Kentucky Friday, McConnell said he inadvertently left out the word “all” before “Americans” in his statement, calling criticism of him on social media “offensive” and “total nonsense.”
Despite McConnell’s office quickly saying the senator misspoke, a social media firestorm erupted, with the NAACP and numerous Twitter users questioning what McConnell meant by the comments.
Crucial Quote
“I’ve never been accused of this kind of thing before. It’s hurtful,” McConnell said Friday, adding he’s regularly hired Black staffers to senior positions in his office.
Chief Critic
Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) delivered what appeared to be the harshest criticism of McConnell from any elected official, calling his comments “about as racist as it gets!”
Key Background
McConnell made the controversial statement ahead of a vote on a sweeping voting rights bill endorsed by Democrats, which proposed setting national standards for early voting and allowing same-day voter registration across the country, among other reforms. But Senate Republicans unanimously opposed the effort, arguing it amounted to federal overreach into election processes, which are run by states. Democrats ultimately failed to pass the legislation after Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) broke party ranks and voted against changing the Senate’s filibuster rules to drop a 60-vote threshold needed to end debate on the bill.
Further Reading
Mitch McConnell said he “inadvertently” left out a word when discussing Black voting patterns. He slammed the attacks against him. (Politico)
‘I am American’: Black Americans use social media to respond to McConnell’s comments on voting (Washington Post)
Senate Democrats Fail To Advance Voting Rights Bill — And Fall Short Of Changing Filibuster (Forbes)
McConnell Says Comment Suggesting Black Voters Aren’t ‘Americans’ Was Accidental
Topline
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday defended himself over comments that seemed to suggest Black voters are not Americans, following massive social media backlash the senator claims is not warranted, since he “misspoke.”
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) holds a news conference on Capitol Hill on February 5, 2020.
Key Facts
At a press briefing on Wednesday, McConnell responded to a question about his message to concerned voters of color as he worked to defeat a Democrat-backed voting rights bill by saying: “The concern is misplaced because if you look at the statistics, African American voters are voting in just as high a percentage as Americans.”
At an infrastructure event in Kentucky Friday, McConnell said he inadvertently left out the word “all” before “Americans” in his statement, calling criticism of him on social media “offensive” and “total nonsense.”
Despite McConnell’s office quickly saying the senator misspoke, a social media firestorm erupted, with the NAACP and numerous Twitter users questioning what McConnell meant by the comments.
Crucial Quote
“I’ve never been accused of this kind of thing before. It’s hurtful,” McConnell said Friday, adding he’s regularly hired Black staffers to senior positions in his office.
Chief Critic
Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) delivered what appeared to be the harshest criticism of McConnell from any elected official, calling his comments “about as racist as it gets!”
Key Background
McConnell made the controversial statement ahead of a vote on a sweeping voting rights bill endorsed by Democrats, which proposed setting national standards for early voting and allowing same-day voter registration across the country, among other reforms. But Senate Republicans unanimously opposed the effort, arguing it amounted to federal overreach into election processes, which are run by states. Democrats ultimately failed to pass the legislation after Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) broke party ranks and voted against changing the Senate’s filibuster rules to drop a 60-vote threshold needed to end debate on the bill.
Further Reading
Mitch McConnell said he “inadvertently” left out a word when discussing Black voting patterns. He slammed the attacks against him. (Politico)
‘I am American’: Black Americans use social media to respond to McConnell’s comments on voting (Washington Post)
Senate Democrats Fail To Advance Voting Rights Bill — And Fall Short Of Changing Filibuster (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2022/01/21/its-hurtful-mcconnell-says-comment-suggesting-black-voters-arent-americans-was-accidental/