Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa covering President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. government, UN, IMF, World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington and New York.
GOP presidential candidates Tim Scott and Nikki Haley blasted former President Barack Obama on Friday after he claimed during an interview that they were downplaying racial inequality in America.
Obama claimed that he was concerned over some Republicans of color who fail to acknowledge the extent of racial discrimination in the country.
In an episode of CNN’s “The Axe Files” podcast hosted by David Axelrod, an advisor who served in the Obama administration, the 44th president highlighted the historical trend of Black and minority Republicans diminishing the impact of racial discrimination.
Obama, who emphasized the need for these candidates to go beyond optimistic rhetoric and address the pervasive inequalities that persist, did not address the racism on the Left. According to Obama, people rightfully question the credibility of those who fail to acknowledge the deep-rooted issues and offer concrete plans to tackle them.
Obama singled out Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the sole Black Republican in the Senate, and Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under the Trump administration and the first prominent woman of color seeking the GOP presidential nomination for 2024.
Regarding figures like Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and former presidential candidate Alan Keyes, Obama argued that racial discrimination affects various aspects of American life, including employment, housing, and the criminal justice system. He posed the question of how society can effectively address the deep-seated generational poverty that results from years of racism.
Both Tim Scott and Nikki Haley responded to Obama’s comments. In a news release, Scott criticized the Left’s portrayal of America, stating that they want people to believe faith in the country is a fraud and progress is a myth. He asserted that his own life disproves these narratives pushed by the radical Left.
Haley also issued a statement suggesting that Obama’s focus on victimhood hindered the empowerment of minorities, stating that in America, hard work and personal responsibility are crucial to success, as instilled in her by her parents.