Senators Respond After Whoopi Goldberg Calls One 'Black Tim Scott' and Confuses Him with Rick Scott
Following former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s announcement of a 2024 presidential bid on Tuesday, the ladies of ABC’s “The View” speculated on which other candidates might jump into the GOP primary race.
The show’s moderator, Whoopi Goldberg, suggested South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott could be the next to join the fray.
Acknowledging that another GOP senator — Florida’s Rick Scott — has the same last name, she attempted to clear up any confusion about which one she was talking about.
“You know Tim Scott, black Tim Scott, right? ’Cause there are two Scotts, and I don’t know how to differentiate them without a picture,” Goldberg said.
“Rick Scott and Tim Scott,” one of her co-hosts interjected.
“Rick Scott and Tim Scott,” Goldberg said. “Tim Scott is black, right? He’s about to run.”
This is not rocket science, Whoopi. The senator from South Carolina, who is black, is named Tim, and the senator from Florida, who is white, is named Rick.
When a clip of this remark was posted on Twitter, Tim Scott showed his sense of humor in a tweet of his own.
“To clear up any confusion, Whoopi, despite @ScottForFlorida and I sporting similar hairstyles” — they are both bald — “and representing the South, we are two different people,” he said.
“You should get to know me.”
To clear up any confusion, Whoopi, despite @ScottForFlorida and I sporting similar hairstyles and representing the South, we are two different people.
You should get to know me. https://t.co/Pu6KUj5pWT
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) February 14, 2023
Rick Scott replied to Tim’s tweet: “Can confirm.”
Can confirm https://t.co/sDeYYXoV8W pic.twitter.com/AIh5bJsxAy
— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) February 14, 2023
Although both senators took Whoopi’s remark in stride, can anyone imagine the uproar if a conservative such as Fox News’ Tucker Carlson referred to the “black Tim Scott”?
Moreover, Goldberg makes her living by discussing the political topics of the day, but there are times she appears to have no idea who is who or what is going on. Yet there she is on “The View” every day commenting on current events.
Remember when she said Jill Biden was “one hell of a doctor”? During the 2020 Democratic primary, Whoopi said if then-candidate Joe Biden won the presidency, he should appoint Jill as the surgeon general.
“Joe Biden’s wife,” Goldberg said. “She would never do it but, yeah, she’s a hell of a doctor. She’s an amazing doctor.”
That elicited some scattered applause from the audience until co-host Sunny Hostin, who knew that Jill Biden’s doctorate was in education, responded, “She’s a teacher but might be good for [Education Secretary] Betsy DeVos’ post.”
In January 2022, Goldberg ruffled feathers by declaring the Holocaust wasn’t about race. She made the comment during a discussion of a Tennessee school district’s decision to ban “Maus,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel about the Holocaust.
The co-hosts disagreed with the ban on the book and argued that in addition to teaching children about the Holocaust, it could educate them about race in America.
Goldberg said, “If you’re going to do this, then let’s be truthful about it, because the Holocaust isn’t about race. No. It’s not about race.”
Of course, the Holocaust is about race. Adolf Hitler was the ultimate white supremacist. He wanted to make Europe “Judenrein” (free of Jews). It was his goal to rid the world of Jews in order to create a master race.
Whoopi Goldberg’s ‘View’ on the Holocaust is abhorrent.
“the Holocaust isn’t about race. No. It’s not about race.” pic.twitter.com/FZSERtHKBz
— ForAmerica (@ForAmerica) January 31, 2022
A fierce backlash ensued, and ABC suspended Goldberg for two weeks, infuriating her.
We really have to ask: How is this show still on TV?
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