Former Vice President and 2020 Democratic nominee Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that he selected Senator Kamala Harris of California for his running mate in November's presidential election.
The former Attorney General of California has decades of civil service under her belt and she's used her prosecutorial expertise to ask tough questions of Trump appointees like now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Attorney General William Barr.
Republicans wasted no time in targeting Harris. It took all of one hour before President Donald Trump referred to her as "nasty," and Fox News pundits began targeting her ethnicity.
One of those pundits was White House press secretary under George W. Bush, Ari Fleischer.
In an interview with far-right Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Fleischer had opinions about how Black Americans feel about Senator Harris.
Watch below.
Ari Fleischer: She's just not that historically exciting to African Americans pic.twitter.com/72Y9ZnxozO
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) August 12, 2020
Fleischer said:
"I just question whether this is going to boost African American turnout at all. I don't think it will. She's just not that historically exciting to African Americans, she certainly wasn't during the primary, and that was one of the biggest reasons Biden picked her. He needs that boost in African American turnout in order to win. I don't see it."
Fleischer's comment is questionable at best.
He has no basis to say that Harris wasn't exciting to Black Americans during the primary because Harris dropped out of the race before any primary was held, citing insufficient fundraising. Biden's races in 2008 and 2012, in which he ran for Vice President under President Barack Obama, both saw increased turnout from Black Americans compared to the cycle before.
This is also the first time a Black woman has been on the ticket of a major party. It's complex to evaluate what's historically exciting when what's happening is historic.
Then again, people weren't surprised that Ari Fleischer was an insufficient barometer when it came to gauging what's "historically exciting to African Americans."
Please White man, tell us how we feel.
There is far more of this coming https://t.co/gEZnkIcvwT
— Randolph Terrance (@realtalkforyou) August 12, 2020
This was followed by a panel full of white men discussing how #WAP "Didn't resonate at all with women of color at any level"
After the break the same panel will discuss how the Asian American community "Just wasn't into" Crazy Rich Asains https://t.co/rXQ7jTblxj
— Jason Johnson (@DrJasonJohnson) August 12, 2020
How do black ppl feel?
Let's see what @AriFleischer thinks!
😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/bo1raVthRg
— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) August 12, 2020
Do not speak for us.
Ever. https://t.co/UgMfSJYsJd
— Mr. Mo'Kelly 🎙️ (@MrMokelly) August 12, 2020
It's always "great" when white men tell America how black people really feel: https://t.co/u88XQsEcI5
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) August 12, 2020
The Biden campaign had its best fundraising hour ever after the announcement and the website crashed due to traffic...black women are over the moon but sure Ari whatever you say 😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/6tzw6tYpm9
— Wakandan Brand Ambassador (@Kennymack1971) August 12, 2020
Whatever Fleischer's take on what's "historically exciting to African Americans," his latest opinion is presently exciting to practically no one.
Renowned African American history scholar Ari Fleischer whitesplains Kamala Harris to Fox News viewers. https://t.co/3gS51ChUH2
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) August 12, 2020
Go ahead @AriFleischer
Keep whitesplaining to the millions of young black girls & WOC who see themselves in @KamalaHarris that they aren't excited abt her historic run.
The GOP's sad attempts to depress black voters is going to backfire. #AmericaOrTrump #CountryOverParty https://t.co/UANBo91aNs
— Tara Setmayer (@TaraSetmayer) August 12, 2020
On today's Fox and Friends Comedy Hour. https://t.co/MEdMumNZEH
— Ivey McClelland 😷😷😷😷😷 (@iveyjanette_207) August 12, 2020
Since the announcement of Harris's place on the ticket, Fleischer posted nine tweets railing against her ability to excite voters and her questions during Justice Brett Kavanaugh's Senate confirmation hearings in 2018.
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