Sen. Tim Scott joined the hosts of "The View" on Monday and criticized them over previous comments made on the program about him being the "exception" to systemic racism in the U.S., saying it was an "offensive, disgusting message" to send to young people.
Co-host Sunny Hostin asked Scott if he believed in the concept of systemic racism and pressed him on being the "exception" in overcoming such a system.
"I’m on the show because of the comments made frankly on this show that the only way for a young African American kid to be successful in this country is to be the exception and not the rule. That’s a dangerous, offensive, disgusting message to send to our young people today, that the only way to succeed is by being the exception," Scott said.
Hostin argued that "it is," before Scott disagreed.
"The fact of the matter is we’ve had an African American president, African American vice president, we’ve had two African Americans to be secretaries of the state. In my home city, the police chief is an African American who’s now running for mayor. The head of the highway patrol for South Carolina is an African American. In 1975, there was about 15% unemployment in the African American community for the first time in the country, it’s under 5%," Scott said.
Hostin said they were all exceptions and said there was "40% homelessness for African Americans," who make up "13% of the population."
"You asked the question. I’ve watched you on the show, and you like people to be deferential and respectful," Scott said, which Hostin noted was "true."
"Progress in America is measured in generations. My grandfather born in 1921 in Salley, South Carolina, when he was on a sidewalk, a White person was coming, he had to step off and not make eye contact. That man believed then, with some doubt now, in the goodness of America, because he believed that faith in God, faith in himself, and faith in what the future could hold for his kids, would unleash opportunities in ways that you cannot imagine," Scott continued.
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"So what I’m suggesting is that the yesterday’s exception is today’s rule," he added.
At one lighter point in another segment, Goldberg walked over and put her arm around Hostin as Scott addressed both their questions. Goldberg had asked Scott to speak to his party more about the issues Republicans have with race, and Hostin was puzzled when Scott said Republicans had done a tremendous job on race issues.
"It's not Republicans or Democrats," Scott said. "Both sides of the aisle can do a better job on the issue of race."
Scott touted the diversity on his own Senate staff and also his work on tax reform that he said benefited people like his own mother.
Before joining the hosts on Monday, Goldberg, Hostin and Behar all similarly claimed that Scott "doesn't get" systemic racism and compared him to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Goldberg claimed Scott had "Clarence Thomas syndrome" after his announcement.
"One of the issues that Tim Scott has is that he seems to think, ‘Because I made it, everyone can make it.’ Ignoring, again, the fact that he’s the exception and not the rule. And until he’s the rule, then he can stop talking about systemic racism," Hostin said, reacting to his 2024 campaign announcement.
Behar also argued that Scott doesn't understand racism in America.
"He’s one of these guys, like Clarence Thomas, Black Republican, who believes in pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, rather than understanding the systemic racism that African Americans face in this country and other minorities. He doesn’t get it. Neither does Clarence. That’s why they’re Republicans," she said.
