Fox News personality Tomi Lahren suggested that President Joe Biden should not nominate a Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, saying Biden is simply trying to "placate" what she referred to as "the radical element" within the Democratic Party.
Almost as soon as news broke that Associate Justice Stephen Breyer would retire from his position on the nation's highest court, Lahren reiterated the Fox News consensus that Biden's promise to nominate a Black woman to the court is an indication of what conservative critics have claimed is a liberal obsession with identity politics.
You can hear what Lahren said in the video below.
Tomi Lahren complains about 'Black woman' Supreme Court pickyoutu.be
Lahren claimed that Biden is trying to appease a minority faction within the Democratic Party:
"We know that what Joe Biden does best is placate to the radical element and the radical progressive base of his party that he believes is the majority. I believe that they are actually the minority."
She went on to claim that nominating a Black woman to the Supreme Court would backfire, given low opinions of Vice President Kamala Harris's performance:
"But I'm wondering the kind of justice that he would nominate. Now again, I'm sure it will be, as [Fox News pundit] Guy [Benson] said, a Black woman."
"You know, he's got a dedication to that. We saw how well that worked out with Kamala Harris but here's to hoping that he has a better choice in mind for this position."
During his campaign, then-candidate Biden promised that he would nominate a Black woman in the event of a Supreme Court vacancy, a decision that would reshape the court's liberal wing and highlight the lack of diversified voices on the nation's higher federal courts.
That promise is now front and center with Breyer's impending retirement, thanks to a short list of contenders that includes Ketanji Brown Jackson, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and Leondra R. Kruger, who sits on the California Supreme Court.
While it's still early, a Supreme Court confirmation, which Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has signaled he would like to see take place in a matter of weeks, is widely viewed as a boon for Democrats concerned about midterm election year challenges following several high-profile policy failures resulting from obstruction from the Republican faction.
Lahren's remarks exposed her, and Fox News, to accusations of racism.
By condoning the racist rhetoric from Tomi Lahren, who complained that President Biden may nominate a Black woman to SCOTUS, Fox News is proving that they don't have or want ANY Black viewers.\n\nThe quiet part is always out loud.— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@BrooklynDad_Defiant!) 1643225517
It\u2019s ALL just the quiet part now. \n\n\u201cTomi Lahren Ridicules Idea of Black Woman Filling Vacant SCOTUS Seat: 'We Saw How Well That Worked Out With Kamala'\u201d https://mediaite.com/a/gpttc\u00a0 via @mediaite— S.E. Cupp (@S.E. Cupp) 1643220597
BREAKING NEWS!! Tomi Lahren is terrified of black women! In other shocking news, circles are circular and bears sh!t in the woods!— jessica (@jessica) 1643226569
Tomi Lahren whenever a black woman gets a high position:pic.twitter.com/7s3ukJQ3Ln— chillainlikeavillain (@chillainlikeavillain) 1643239562
One of MAGA's favorite racist's, Tomi Lahren, rants while discussing "the kind of justice" Biden will nominate.\n\n"I'm sure it will be a Black woman, you know, he's got a dedication to that. We saw how well that worked out with Kamala Harris."\n\nBlatant racism.\n\n#DemVoice1pic.twitter.com/JFCxwMzFLy— The Jewish Ginger Resister (@The Jewish Ginger Resister) 1643243409
Tomi Lahren doesn't want Biden to appoint a Black woman to the SCOTUS. She said it "didn't work out with Kamala." Bigotry 101! Tomi also called BLM a terrorist organization. And Tomi spread Obama birther conspiracies. Fox News sure knows how to pick'em: Dumb, Blonde, and Racist.— Uncovering The Truth (@Uncovering The Truth) 1643237585
Pretty much the only thing that Tomi Lahren has been consistent about throughout her career is her clear disdain for Kamala or any other black woman in a position of power.— Rex Zane (@Rex Zane) 1643224358
White supremacy is Fox Propagandist Tomi Lahren complaining that Biden will nominate a black woman to be on the Supreme Court and deeming all women of color unqualified by using Vice President Kamala Harris as her justification for racist hate for those who are superior to her.— Ricky Davila (@Ricky Davila) 1643226447
Tomi Lahren going full fucking racist thinking all black people are the same.pic.twitter.com/NEUFIYrdaq— Alex Cole (@Alex Cole) 1643220529
Progressives have long urged Breyer to retire to ensure that the vacancy occurs while the Democrats are in control of the Senate.
Despite these calls, Breyer did not indicate whether or not he would retire even as Democrats stressed that a vacancy would allow President Biden to nominate someone younger and perhaps bring more diversity to the court even if a Democratic appointment does not affect the ideological balance of the court.
Activists had also cited fears of a Republican victory in next year’s midterm elections and their wish to deny Republicans the opportunity to secure a 7-2 majority on the court.
Last year, the White House indicated that President Biden and his aides would not give in to those demands on the belief that pressuring Breyer to retire would backfire, possibly even pushing Breyer to remain in his position longer to prove he will not be swayed by political interference.
With Breyer's announcement that he will retire at the end of the current Supreme Court term, the left is breathing a collective sigh of relief.
