On the Nov. 22 edition of CNN’s “At This Hour,” political commentator and Democratic bullhorn Angela Rye demoralized conservative commentator Carl Higbie for claiming that the Republican party was supported by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Initially, in the short clip, Rye and Higbie both agree that President-elect Donald Trump’s appeal to white nationalists is problematic for the nation.
Over the course of a few days, media members have been quick to point out Trump’s tepid dismissal of Richard B. Spencer’s white nationalist support. However, Higbie believes that the president-elect’s response and denouncement was sufficient.
“These people are idiots,” Higbie starts. “Donald Trump has said this. He said, “I don’t endorse these people and in fact, I denounced them.’ … And if he wants to run around every single time some moron throws up his right hand and says ‘I’m for white America,’ he is going to spend his entire presidency trying to respond to stupid people. Let’s move forward.”
Rye quickly dissects his argument, stating that Trump has shown more fervor denouncing NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” or “Hamilton the Musical” than white supremacists.
But it’s after after Higbie claimed the Republican party was the party of MLK that the segment quickly went from 0 to 60.
“These people are morons. They’re idiots. But we are the Republican party. We are the party that freed the slaves. We’re the party of Martin Luther King…,” he says.
At this point, Rye interjects and the two exchange quick barbs about knowing history before Rye goes into a rant.
“My history is clear. Your history is ass backwards!” she exclaims. “The Republican Party is not the party of the 13th and 14th and 15th amendment [anymore]. Your party is the one who helps ensure that Shelby v. Holder would gut the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Your party is the one in Pennsylvania where a GOP legislator said these laws were put in place to ensure that Republicans would win back the House, the Senate, the presidency. Let’s be clear.
“Your party is living and thriving off of oppression.”
