Black conservative Candace Owens went off on a tangent Tuesday during what was supposed to be a civil on-air debate about President Donald Trump’s policies.
Owens, an outspoken supporter of the president, appeared on MSNBC’s “The Beat” where she continually talked over host Ari Melber and refused to let guest Michael Eric Dyson, a Georgetown University professor, get a word in edge-wise.
From the start, the right-wing pundit ranted about being heckled outside a Philadelphia breakfast cafe by a group of angry protesters on Monday. On Twitter, she compared the experience to something straight out of the 1960’s civil rights era.
“Am I Black?” she asked sarcastically. “I’m curious to know if I’m Black because I’m a Black conservative, and I am not hearing anything being said about the fact that about 25 white Democrats assembled to kick me out of a restaurant yesterday to throw water and to throw eggs at me because I’m a conservative that supports Donald Trump.”
Owens spouted the usual conservative talking points praising Trump’s “booming” economy, before circling back to her attack at the hands of alleged Antifa activists, who she described as an “all-white gang.” She then addressed Dyson directly, falsely blaming him for the recent attacks on conservatives like herself.
“How is it plausible, professor, that you allow this to happen to your community because you’ve decided that because we are ideologically conservatives, you are okay with this,” she shouted. “You’re okay with –”
“Wait a minute,” Dyson chimed in, cutting her off. “I haven’t said a word … I haven’t said a word about you.”
Owens continued shouting over Dyson and Melber, even as the host tried to reel things in and get the debate back on track. At one point, Melber had to remind Owens that she was there to discuss Trump’s policies — not gripe about her run-in with the angry protesters.
“Candace, we have to take a pause … I have to give the professor a chance to respond,” he said, as Owens continued chattering away in the background.
When she finally hushed long enough for Dyson to reply, the professor was forced to defend himself against her repeated attacks.
“First of all, I never said anything negative about Ms. Owens,” he said. “I never directed any animus, and particular rhetoric, any conversations toward her. So when she said YOU allowed it — first of all, I’m not God. I don’t control the universe or weather … so I did not point these people toward you.”
Watch more in the clip below.
