A former Trump campaign staffer unleashed an angry outburst in response to accusations of racism. To make matters worse, he actually used a racist statement in doing so.
“You’re out of your cotton-picking mind,” David Bossie, former deputy campaign manager for Donald Trump and president of Citizens United, declared in disgust as Democratic strategist Joel Payne (a former deputy national press secretary for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid) accused President Donald Trump of race-baiting.
“This is what two years of Trumpism looks like, and it looks like Charlottesville, it looks like calling judges of Mexican descent not being able to make judicial decisions because they’re of a certain descent. It’s called attacking the Khan family,” Payne declared.
“You started this segment saying that Progressives and Democrats on the Left are attacking the president calling him a racist. No. You’re just calling them out,” the Democrat continued. “Listen. You don’t have to be a golden retriever to hear all the dog whistles coming out of the white House these days from my friend David here.”
Bossie, who had already spoke in anger earlier in the program, let his anger get the better of him, and unleashed the racist statement: “You’re out of your cotton-picking mind.”
“Cotton-picking mind?” Payne shot back. “Brother, let me tell you something, I’ve got some relatives who picked cotton.”
None of Payne’s living relatives picked cotton in slavery in the South, but Bossie’s attack and Payne’s response clearly alluded to America’s history of race-based slavery.
While the Oxford English Dictionary describes “cotton-picking” as an expression used for emphasis, it’s considered an offensive one, given the racial connotations and connection to slavery. The NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder suspended a play-by-play announcer in April for using the phrase in connection with player Russell Westbrook.
A Fox News spokesperson rightly attacked Bossie’s remarks as “deeply offensive.”
“David Bossie’s comments today were deeply offensive and wholly inappropriate,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “His remarks do not reflect the sentiments of FOX News and we do not in any way condone them.”
Bossie himself later apologized. “During a heated segment on Fox & Friends today, I should have chosen my words more carefully and never used the offensive phrase that I did,” he tweeted. “I apologize to Joel Payne, Fox News and its viewers.”
During a heated segment on Fox & Friends today, I should have chosen my words more carefully and never used the offensive phrase that I did. I apologize to Joel Payne, Fox News and its viewers.
— David Bossie (@David_Bossie) June 24, 2018
While Bossie has apologized for his remark, and Democrats have unfairly attacked Trump and other Republicans as racist, this remark will unfortunately give them ammunition for the 2018 midterms.
Click “Load More” to watch the altercation below.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member