Political commentator Angela Rye declared on CNN that “White folks” should face accountability “for not showing up to save democracy” if they don’t vote for Vice President Kamala Harris next month.
During an interview on “First of All” Saturday, CNN host Victor Blackwell addressed the backlash against former President Barack Obama after he scolded Black men for not being more supportive of Harris’ presidential campaign, in light of polling that shows Black men trending toward former President Trump compared to previous years.
“This is the first time since he was in Pittsburgh and invoked the potential of sexism in his appeal to Black men to support the vice president,” Blackwell began, referencing Obama’s appearance in Arizona a day earlier. “Should there be a course correction because there was so much backlash to that framework? Was it a mistake for the former president to say what he did or to say it publicly…?”
Rye quickly turned the conversation away from the former president, shifting the focus to “White folks.”
“You know, I think that it’s wonderful that President Obama is out hitting the trail for democracy, frankly. And what I think is a mistake is to let White folks escape the accountability that they must face for not showing up to save democracy themselves,” she said.
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“They want to get mad at presidential candidates, right, when they don’t wear a flag lapel pin or they don’t see you pledging allegiance to the flag,” Rye continued. “That’s what they want to get upset about. Now, the face of patriotism to them looks like trying to tear down the Capitol in a terrorist attack on January 6th, 2021.”
“The responsibility of saving democracy should be on the largest demographic in this country. That is White men and White women. I don’t want to see a women’s march with pussy hats come January if something doesn’t go right. What I want to see is for them to march themselves to the polls…”
She concluded, “We are doing our part. It’s time for White folks to turn their ire and their attention to each other to ensure they also do their part.”
During a pre-campaign-rally stop in Pittsburgh last week, Obama appeared to admonish Black Americans who have not been as fervent in their support for Harris’ presidential bid as they were for his in 2008 and 2012.
“We have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all corners of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running,” Obama began.
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“Now, I also want to say that that seems to be more pronounced with the brothers. So if you don’t mind — just for a second, I’ve got to speak to y’all and say that when you have a choice that is this clean: When on the one hand, you have somebody who grew up like you, went to college with you understands the struggles [and the] pain and joy that comes from those experiences…”
According to several reports, Obama then went on to contrast that vision – presumably of Harris – to that of former President Trump.
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The 44th president went on to say many people apprehensive of Harris are coming up with “all kinds of reasons and excuses” to either sit home or support another candidate.
“[P]art of it makes me think, and I’m speaking to men directly… that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that.”
According to a New York Times/Siena College poll released last week, Harris currently holds 78% of the Black vote, which is down from 2020, when President Biden won approximately 90% of that voting bloc. It’s also down from 2016, when Hillary Clinton won approximately 92% of the Black vote. Harris’ support among Black men has dropped even more significantly, according to the report: 70% said they would vote for Harris in November, down from Biden’s 85% in 2020.
Fox News’ Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
