Earlier this month, Congressman Mark Meadows (R-NC) touted Housing and Urban Development official Lynne Patton , who is black, as evidence that President Donald Trump is not a racist. The action was met with outrage.
Today during an appearance on MNSBC, Trump campaign advisor Katrina Pierson challenged Reverend Al Sharpton on the absence of black senior staffers in the White House by invoking Abraham Lincoln.
"How many black people were in Abraham Lincoln's West Wing? It's absurd to even go in that direction...Was Abraham Lincoln a racist because he didn't have a black person in the West Wing? This is insane. It's an insane discussion."
When Lincoln was president, black people had no voting rights, and were regarded as second-class citizens. Also, it was 150 years ago. Is that the best she can do?
Watch below:
Sharpton quickly corrected her:
"You can't name a black in the West Wing cause we can't find one, Katrina. I pity you, I sympathize with you...It is unthinkable in the 21st century that even the spokesperson for President Trump can't name a black in the West Wing."
People were flabbergasted at Pierson's answer.
Actually, Katrina Pierson, Abraham Lincoln was a racist. "There must be a position of superior and inferior, and I… https://t.co/chTpneIGv5— Keith Boykin (@Keith Boykin) 1552273944.0
Abraham Lincoln: died April 15, 1865. West Wing: built 1902, 37 years after Lincoln was assassinated. Katrina P… https://t.co/OMz6HfXjPK— Stonekettle (@Stonekettle) 1552262153.0
So you're saying you have to go back 1 1/2 centuries, when slavery was still being fought, to justify Trump’s lack… https://t.co/PkFrUhrETH— larryy (@larryy) 1552293323.0
Yeah. For that matter, how about Andrew Jackson? https://t.co/UorfWgWqGO— Colley Cibber (@Colley Cibber) 1552317154.0
https://t.co/FNUSiaaJrQ Katrina, Yes, Lincoln was racist. Lincoln said (https://t.co/zL2JAfEKZa): "I will say the… https://t.co/B8DUcB0ubq— Michael C. Johnson (@Michael C. Johnson) 1552324550.0
.@KatrinaPierson You do know that slavery was in full force during Lincoln presidency, right??? 😫 https://t.co/nuFAu2EeRU— Voice To Hear (@Voice To Hear) 1552321035.0
Katrina Pierson explains away trump's racism by asking MSNBC host to name Blacks in Lincoln's West Wing https://t.co/oNNx1UKNX0— George Monroe (@George Monroe) 1552255388.0
Pierson suggested that black people had been offered jobs at the White House but hadn't accepted. She claimed that she herself had been offered White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders's job.
"I pity you," said Sharpton, "I sympathize with you, but telling me you applied, and other people applied...come on."
The Louvre ought to feature, next to the Mona Lisa, @TheRevAl's facial expressions as @KatrinaPierson asks him how… https://t.co/9cSo4psD6e— Bill Grueskin (@Bill Grueskin) 1552326028.0
The stupid...it burns. Is the @GOP utterly moronic, or do they think their base is dumb enough to say, "Yeah...Linc… https://t.co/EsnDxyvkvS— Nataraj - Fully vaxxed. (@Nataraj - Fully vaxxed.) 1552252440.0
Revealing that Katrina Pierson has to go all the way back to the Civil War to normalize Donald Trump's blatant bigo… https://t.co/kDwtlEPz72— Crooks and Liars (@Crooks and Liars) 1552241852.0
Sharpton perfectly called out the lack of diversity under the Trump administration. "You can't name a black in the West Wing," Sharpton said, "because we can't find one."