CNN commentators have launched personal attacks against former US Senate candidate Herschel Walker, calling him an “insult to the black community” and claiming he is a “hypermasculine” caricature of black people who “don’t understand politics.”
Walker, a Republican candidate for the US Senate in Georgia, lost in a runoff to Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock on Tuesday night.
The final contest was called on Tuesday night, hours after polls closed in the state.
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CNN’s Van Jones calls Herschel Walker “an insult to black Americans.”
(Screenshot/CNN)
CNN political commentator Van Jones spoke to Walker during the election night, saying that former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Walker, even though he was “a hero,” was an “insult to black voters.”
Addressing CNN’s election night panel, Jones said: “Tonight is about Trump picking someone who, frankly, is a hero. Herschel Walker used to be an inspiration. Now it’s an insult. He’s insulting the black community.”
He said Democratic voters turned out not just to support Warnock, but to reject Trump’s endorsement of “someone like that.” “What you’re going to see today is people coming out not only to vote for their favorite senator, but to vote against Donald Trump picking someone like that and throwing that person at the voters of Georgia,” Jones said.
Jones questioned Trump’s endorsement of Walker, calling it “too clever by half.” Speaking as Trump, he added, “I’m going to pit black guy against black guy.” But the guy she picked was the wrong black guy.”
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Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker speaks during an election night vigil Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, in Atlanta. Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Walker in the Georgia runoff.
(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
CNN’s chief political analyst, Gloria Borger, interjected, saying, “So you consider it an insult?” Van Jones replied, “I think it’s an insult.”
Panelist Ashley Ellison agreed with Jones, saying, “If you’re Herschel Walker, you’re an insult to black voters in Georgia,” she said. “And to be honest, I’m not a Republican, but it would be insulting to me as a Republican to think that that’s the kind of person I’m going to send to the United States Senate.”
The next morning, after the results painted Warnock’s victory, “CNN This Morning” guest author Bacary Sellers said Walker lost because he was a “caricature” of a black man, as Trump sees him.
He said: “This is how Donald Trump views black people. We’ve been repeating this since 2016. He’s a caricature of hypersexuality, he’s hypermasculine, he’s athletic, but he’s also very anti-intellectual. He doesn’t understand politics. As my dad said, ‘He’s so good. doesn’t speak.”You know, it’s all rolled into one thing.”
“CNN This Morning” host Don Lemon ribbed Sellers, saying, “You’re talking good! Be honest, Bacary. Okay, let’s talk. It was disgusting. When Herschel Walker opened his mouth and if it was on a TV screen. , most African Americans were like, “Oh my god.”
Sellers agreed, adding, “It wasn’t terrible.”