MSNBC’s Chris Matthews came away from Thursday night’s debate for 2020 the Democratic Party’s presidential hopefuls wondering how Sen. Kamala D. Harris doesn’t harbor a “hatred” for white people.
“This is really important to people of all backgrounds and ethnicities — I don’t like the word race — ethnicities,” the “Hardball” host said to the California senator in a post-debate interview. “How did you come out of that and not have hatred towards white people generally? You talked about being a kid and having other kids being kept off as friends because their parents looked at you as someone else.”
Ms. Harris told Mr. Matthews that “hatred” for white people as a whole would be irrational, as “most Americans do not conduct themselves [in a racist] way, and most parents don’t conduct themselves that way.”
“There was no need to create a broad application because of that one experience, but we cannot deny that there are many children, black children in America, who have had that experience,” she said.
The conversation stemmed from a pointed exchange during the debate between Ms. Harris and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, who was put on the hot seat earlier in the evening for his 1970s opposition to federal integration efforts via school busing.
“I do not believe you are a racist,” Ms. Harris said to Mr. Biden during the debate. “And I agree with you when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground. But I also believe — and it’s personal and it was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country.”
“Everything I have done in my career, I ran because of civil rights and continue to think we have to make fundamental changes,” Mr. Biden replied.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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