It’s hardly surprising that those who follow Donald Trump are always left in suspense, anticipating his next unpredictable remark. When the former GOP presidential candidate pondered aloud about Kamala Harris’ ethnicity during a Black journalists’ convention, it induced anxiety even in his supporters. Among them was Kevin McCarthy, the former House Speaker. His immediate reaction to Trump’s contentious comments was one of unease and apprehension, as he questioned, ‘What path are you treading now?’
This striking incident came to light when McCarthy made an appearance on the popular Fox News program ‘Jesse Watters Primetime’. The discussion inevitable turned towards the highly controversial topic of Trump’s comments about Harris during a convention of Black journalists. The former president had stated, rather perplexingly, ‘I was not aware that she identified as Black until a few years back when she conveniently seemed to become Black.’ His commentary did not stop there, as he later added, ‘Is she Indian or Black?’
In the midst of this conversation, Watters chimed, ‘Seeing such a performance at a black journalist’s convention, did you worry about potential vote loss, or did you perceive it as merely a brief moment of controversy that would dissipate, and then it’s business as usual?’ McCarthy, in response, reflected back to his initial reaction of concern and shared, ‘Initially, my thoughts were, ‘Oh no, where are you going with this?”
McCarthy refrained from delving deeper into his commentary at that moment. However, he subsequently parsed his words to frame Trump in a positive light, commending him for making the effort to attend the National Association of Black Journalists meeting in Chicago. He framed Harris as the absentee, stating, ‘Contrastingly, when Kamala was invited, she was nowhere to be seen.’
He busied himself with singing Trump’s praises, ‘He would not hesitate to go anywhere. The commendable aspect about Trump is his consistent personality, whether he is in full public view, or behind the curtains. He always states his perspective candidly.’ However, this trying to spin the situation does little to distract from the reality and sounds more like a weak attempt to create smoke and mirrors from the true circumstances.
Kamala Harris, the object of Trump’s racially conferred scrutiny, is of Indian and Jamaican descent, inclusive of parents born in both countries. Not only did she study at Howard University, a historically black college, but she also became a part of the Congressional Black Caucus in the Senate in 2017. Despite this clear affinity with and commitment to Black voices and challenges, Trump’s insensitive remarks continue to echo.
Harris, in response to Trump’s comments, rightfully asserted that ‘American citizens ought to receive better’. She disdainfully dismissed his offensive comments as just another instance of the ‘usual narrative’ of ‘creating division and displaying a lack of respect.’ While McCarthy and Trump’s supporters seemed to struggle through the negative spotlight, Harris remained steadfast with decorum.
It’s still unclear what Trump aims to achieve by sowing doubts about Harris’s racial background. Critics might argue that this is just another attempt to distract from genuine political issues. It’s as if by focusing on her ethnicity, he hopes to divert some of the public’s attention away from policy discussions. However, such a tactic appears less strategic and more of an ill-conceived blunder.
The unfortunate sequence of events casts Trump and his supporters in an unpleasant light. It instigates an unnecessary controversy that can easily ignite racial tensions. As the election season revs up, such thoughtless comments can prove quite problematic.
All this begs the question – why the fixation on Harris’s race? Instead of focusing on the merit of her ideas or her accomplishments, the narrative around her continues to be roiled by unnecessary debate about her ethnic background. In the wake of their shortcomings, the insensitivity and misguided focus from Trump and his supporters appear more glaring.
It seems quite apparent that this controversy and similar ones driven by Trump and his supporters seek to push a divisive narrative. It beds into an uncomfortable intersection of politics and race in America and arguably attempts to distract from the actual issues on the table.
This whole episode is just another entry in the long ledger that documents Trump’s repeated attempts to create unnecessary controversy for shock value. His tactless remarks have only piled on to the distaste many already feel towards the administration.
The unfavorable image painted of Trump and his supporters through such incidents does more to distill their reputability than any political rhetoric could. Continual instances of baseless and untactful remarks seem to underline an ignobility that is difficult to shake off, pointing to a troubling propensity for insensitivity and controversy.
Trump Throws Uncomfortable Light on Harris’s Race, Unsettling Supporters appeared first on Real News Now.
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