CNN anchor Michael Smerconish recently stirred up debate by labeling black men who question Kamala Harris’s racial identity as “low information voters.”
In a segment aired on Saturday, Smerconish showcased a clip from CBS affiliate WHP, which featured a discussion with black men at a central Pennsylvania barber shop about their views on the vice president.
Some of the men expressed skepticism about Harris’s racial identity.
Smerconish quickly responded to these opinions with a dismissive attitude.
“When I aired that clip on my SiriusXM radio show Thursday, many callers who identified as African American told me that these men are the exception, not the rule,” he said.
“They described them as low-information voters, much like you might find among white voters.”
Reactions to Smerconish’s Comments
Glenn Greenwald, a prominent left-wing journalist known for critiquing liberal biases, took to social media to criticize Smerconish.
Greenwald found it ironic that, after the black men shared their perspectives on race and Kamala Harris, a white authority figure dismissed their views.
“The funniest part of the CNN clip is that after these men share their thoughts, the White Man of Authority calls them stupid, claiming his black friends told him otherwise,” Greenwald posted on X.
Smerconish, a former Republican who has been an independent since 2010, has recently expressed doubts about Harris’s shift from her progressive past to a more centrist stance in her presidential campaign.
Trump’s Remarks on Harris’s Racial Identity
The segment followed Donald Trump’s controversial comments at the National Association of Black Journalists conference in Chicago. Trump claimed he was unaware of Harris’s black heritage and suggested she had only recently started to emphasize it to gain favor with black voters.
He also implied that her racial identity seemed inauthentic.
The clip from the barber shop features a local journalist asking whether Harris’s identity would influence their likelihood of voting Democrat.
The responses varied, with some men questioning whether Harris is truly black or if she is presenting herself that way for political reasons. One man remarked, “I heard she was half black and half Asian.”
Trump’s frustration was evident as he publicly criticized Harris’s racial identity.
“She was always of Indian heritage and only recently started to identify as black,” he said.
“I didn’t know she was black until a few years ago. Now she wants to be known as black. So is she Indian or black? I respect either, but she seems to be switching her identity.”
Trump’s Continued Critique and Political Strategy
Trump continued his critique on Truth Social, labeling Harris as “crazy” and accusing her of being a “stone-cold phony” who manipulates her racial identity.
At a rally in Atlanta, Trump further insulted Harris, questioning her intelligence and pronunciation skills.
Despite his controversial remarks, Trump has been making significant efforts to appeal to black voters. Some black business owners in Atlanta have expressed support for Trump, especially in light of his criminal prosecution.
A focus group conducted by a Daily Show correspondent revealed that some black voters are leaning towards Trump in the upcoming election.
Mine Crypto. Earn $GOATS while it is free! Click Here!!