Many across the nation paying attention to the Senate’s doomed voting rights vote – failing 48-52 Wednesday night, thanks to two conservative Democrats and every single Republican – noticed GOP Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s post-vote remarks in which he essentially deemed Black voters not real Americans, or in a separate class as the rest of American voters.
Calling the “concern” about minority voters having less access to the ballot box “misplaced,” McConnell told reporters: “because if you look at the statistics, African-American voters are voting in just as high a percentage as Americans.”
This clip garnered one million views in less than 12 hours:
There are clips from different sources, all of which flooded social media overnight.
The outrage has been palpable.
“Mitch McConnell didn’t say the quiet part out loud, people,” said political strategist Tom Watson. “He said the main plank of the Republican Party out loud.”
New York Times journalist and “1619 Project” creator Nikole Hannah-Jones:
NBC and MSNBC Legal Contributor Katie S. Phang noted: “After tonight’s vote, McConnell is just letting it all hang out.”
Sociologist and Brookings fellow Victor Ray: “McConnell saying “African Americans are voting at just a high of percentage as Americans” shows exactly why they are targeting voting rights and who he considers fully American.”
“McConnell did not misspeak,” said TV writer and producer Bryan Behar. “In one quote, he summarized the entire GOP worldview. They think it’s a White nation and anyone who isn’t White isn’t a true American.”