Ted Cruz led the attack from conservatives as President vowed to nominate a Black woman as the next Supreme Court Justice. He alleged that by choosing a Black woman who constitute only 6% of the population, the President was proving that he did not care about the other 94%. Ted Cruz also termed the decision an insult to black women.
The Republican from Texas said that instead of saying that he would opt for the best jurist. Ted Cruz in his podcast, Verdict with Ted Cruz, said that he found the very idea that the President was making it clear that it would be a black woman was offensive.
Sitting Justice Stephen Beyer announced his intention to retire from active service after close to 3 decades on the US Supreme Court. On the critically important work of selecting his successor. The president said that he would select someone deemed worthy of Justice Beyer’s legacy of decency and excellence.
In announcing his preference for the candidate, the President said that the only decision he had made about the selecting process was that the nominee would be extraordinarily qualified, of impeccable character and integrity. And that person would be a Black woman.
Ted Cruz’s Remarks Drew Immediate Derision On Social Media
Ted Cruz’s offensive remarks drew immediate derision on Twitter. Rep. Marilyn Strickland said that the only insulting part of Ted Cruz’s comments was that he assumed that he was speaking for the Black community. She said that America was built on the fortitude and strength of Black women who have been everything from caregivers to CEOs. And soon one could be a Supreme Court Justice
Rep. Don Beyer said the Republican Senators were disgracing themselves by attacking an important historical milestone for Americans.
Nominating Supreme Court judges based on gender and race has Republican precedents. Ronald Reagan had chosen Sandra Day O’Connor in 1986 for she was a woman, while he chose Antonin Scalia for his Italian roots the same year. Donald Trump had also pledged to do the same.
