A Sunday morning airing of MSNBC’s “PoliticsNation” with the Rev. Al Sharpton devolved into chaos after he and guest Sean Jackson, head of Florida’s Republican Black Caucus, bumped heads over recent racist attacks against Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum.
Last week, Republican candidate Ron DeSantis criticized his “articulate” Black opponent and warned voters not to “monkey this up” by electing Gillum as their next governor.
Rev. Al Sharpton (far right) slammed guest Sean Jackson (second from left) for labeling him a “Black socialist.” (MSNBC / video screenshot)
“You know what’s so sick about this situation, this young lady [guest Marjorie Clifton] and every Democrat has the audacity … has convenient amnesia and forget the fact President [Barack] Obama and every other Democratic person used this term before,” Jackson said of folks describing Gillum as “articulate.”
He went on to argue that people are making the Florida governor’s election solely about race, rather than focusing on the issues.
Sharpton begged to differ, however, and chided Jackson for labeling him a “Black socialist.”
“I think that it’s very interesting that a man who just called us Black socialists, all of a sudden tells us to deal with issues and stop name-calling,” Sharpton said. “You just did name-calling, labeling people that disagree with you does not make you a socialist.”
“Excuse me, Rev’, let me say something,” Jackson interjected, only to get shut down.
“I’m not going to excuse you!” Sharpton shot back. “I’m going to finish my point. I didn’t interrupt you. … Now, I think clearly if we debate issues in term of what Gillum is saying and DeSantis is saying around health care, around criminal justice, around immigration — to call us names only feeds into people saying it’s a name-calling, Trump-like campaign.”
“So I think it’s very telling in denouncing name calling that you call us a name,” he continued.
Jackson denied calling the reverend a name, saying he was only trying to make the point that Sharpton was “race-baiting.”
“You called us Black socialists!” Sharpton replied. “What’s the basis of you calling us Black socialists?”
Things flew off the rails from there as the two continually shouted over each other, trying to get the last word.
“This is why Black America cannot get past their racial divides and tensions because of fear-mongering folks like you who continue to put fear into individuals’ hearts,” Jackson said. “It is sick and it’s wrong!”
Watch more in the video below.
https://youtu.be/m4r8e_JfxW0
