Hostin: Criticism of Biden SCOTUS Pick ‘Based on Race, Not on Qualifications’

The liberal media were all hands on deck Friday to defend President Biden’s new Super Court nominee, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson from any criticism whatsoever. This was evident during The View when ABC co-host Sunny Hostin claimed that criticism was actually “attacks” and, since they come from the right, they were “based on race, not on qualifications.”

“But her qualifications run assailable,”Hostin was indignant. “She is more qualified, I dare say, than many of the justices that are now seated on the court.Harvard was her undergrad. She went to Harvard Law School.”

Hostin then boasted about Brown’s service as a federal public defender, noting, “She’s the first federal public defender that would ever be seated on the Supreme Court.”

“I can tell you as a federal prosecutor, the defender service is who we argued against. They’re the most difficult. They’re brilliant. They are generally just spot on, and we need that kind of perspective on this court,” she touted.

After that, she suggested any criticism of Brown’s or her historical record was because it was racist.

It’s not easy for women of color to be exceptional. Yes, we do exist. But there is no doubt in my mind that I believe it. She is qualified. The attacks coming from the right are not based on qualification but on race.

The conversation went in this direction after co-host Joy Behar whined about Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) saying Biden had capitulated to the “radical left” again.

Co-host Ana Navarro defended Graham and held out hope that he would support Brown’s confirmation, which didn’t sit well with Hostin. “Me and my island are, you know, there’s room for Lindsey if he does the right thing on this,” Navarro told her.

Navarro said that she may also be interested in Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio. After noting that Brown is from Miami, she hinted she might get singer “Pitbull to call him. ‘Oh, yeah, Papi.’”

“Well, Lindsey is tweeting all sorts of crazy things, so I’m not going to count on him. But they only need 51 votes,” Hostin shot back against Navarro’s optimism for Graham. She also suggested Graham’s “lips are still surgically attached to Trump’s butt” and that’s why he’s now criticizing Biden for picking Brown after previously voting for her.

Anterior View co-host (returning as a guest host) Meredith Vieira questioned Hostin by wondering is Graham was “just saying what he thinks people want to hear” but intended to support her anyway. Hostin didn’t buy it, chiding him as “such a wild card at this point I don’t think he can be counted on. I don’t think he can be trusted.”

The View’s defense of President Biden’s SCOTUS nominee was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Olay and Advil. You can read the entire post on NewsBusters.

You can find the transcript below. To read it, please click on “expand”.

ABC’s The View
February 25, 2022
Eastern, 11:15:46

JOY BEHAR We were right to predict that the White House would release a statement saying that Ketanji brown Jackson has been chosen.

So there are already rumblings from the right, Lindsey Graham tweeted, this “means the radical left” quote-unquote “has won President Biden again.”

[Crosstalk]

Wait a minute. She was confirmed by him for the D.C. circuit Court. Was there anything that changed? It was two years ago. How has the world changed since then?

[Crosstalk]

ANA NAVARRO: Listen. Lindsey is still my friend.

SUNNY HOOSTIN: It’s possible that you are the only one.

NAVARRO – Me and my Island are, you see, there is room for Lindsey, if he does what’s right on this.

Lindsey supported Sonia Sotomayor even though most other Republicans didn’t. Lindsey voted in Judge Brown, when other Republicans did not — Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski were the only ones who backed him. This was also a bipartisan vote. Lindsey also spoke in the past about representation and believes that the Supreme Court should reflect this.

This marks the first time it’s ever been a black woman in its 233 year history. Lindsey must put her through the most thorough scrutiny. He should also ask relevant questions to determine if her qualifications and temperament.

And, by the way, she’s from Miami, and so Marco Rubio — I think I’m going to get Pitbull to call him. “Oh, yeah, Papi.”

[Laughter]

Let me add one more thing. The last reason representation matters is – I was reading today, she graduated from Palmetto Senior High, and she told her high school councilor she wanted to go to Harvard. And the high school counselor told her, “No, you shouldn’t set your sights that high.” She went on to Harvard and graduated magna cum Laude.

BEHAR: She is a good choice.

NAVARRO, And she’s being nominated. This is why representation matters. When a brown or black little girl approaches her high school counselor and doesn’t hear back, it’s not a good idea to set too high expectations.

HOSTIN: And that’s – Well, Lindsey is tweeting all sorts of crazy things, so I’m not going to count on him. They only require 51 votes. So, she’ll definitely —

BEHAR: But do you have any idea why he suddenly switched and said “radical left?”

HOSTIN: Trump. His butt – His lips are still surgically attached to Trump’s butt.

[Crosstalk]

MEREDITH VIEIRA: But does that mean he doesn’t [inaudible]He will vote for her. That he’s just saying what he thinks people want to hear?

HOSTIN: I think he’s such a wild card at this point I don’t think he can be counted on. HOSTIN: I doubt he is trustworthy.

But her qualifications run assailable. Her qualifications are unquestionably better than those of many other justices currently seated at the court. Harvard undergrad was what she did. Harvard Law School was her first choice. She is the Supreme Court’s first ever federal public defender.

As a federal prosecutor I can assure you that the defender services is whom we have argued against. They’re the most difficult. They’re brilliant. Their accuracy is almost perfect, which we require for this court.

The fact is, it is very hard for a woman from color to achieve the status she has without being outstanding. While we do exist, I have no doubt that she’s qualified. And the attacks coming from the right will be based not on race but on qualifications.

BEHAR: This is the statement that Thurgood Marshall was not the first justice to have such extensive experience in representing criminal defendants.

HOSTIN: Nobody. That perspective is what we require.

(…)