Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) was asked to respond to remarks by South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn (D) that Mayor Pete Buttigieg has a problem with older Black voters because he's gay.
Said Clyburn on Sunday: “I know of a lot of people my age that feel that way. I'm not going to sit here and tell you otherwise. I think everybody knows that's an issue.”
Said Harris to Wolf Blitzer on CNN: “I'm going to be very honest with you. I'm never going to buy into that trope. And I think it's a trope that has evolved among some Democrats to suggest that some African Americans are homophobic or that there's transphobia in the Black community as a community. That's just nonsense. … The reality is that sadly and unfortunately in all communities bias occurs, and in particular homophobia and transphobia. I've spent my career fighting against it, so I know it is a fact. But to label one community in particular as being burdened by this bias as compared to others is misinformed, it's misdirected and it's just simply wrong.”
Buttigieg on Monday night pushed back against Clyburn's comments as well, comparing voters in South Bend who are “socially conservative Democrats” to those in South Carolina: “…at the end of the day I think the reason why the people in my community moved past that and reelected me, and the reason why we're going to be able to earn votes in every part of the country, is because elections are about this: they're about voters asking a question, ‘how will my life be different if you get elected versus somebody else?'” I think we have the best answer to that question. Get that answer in front of as many voters as possible. It is remarkable how Americans are capable of moving past old habit, moving past old prejudices, making history, and getting the president that will serve them best regardless of the other noise that's circling around the race.”
