MSNBC’s Joy Reid Faces Backlash for Controversial Take on Kamala Harris

Joy Reid, the MSNBC host, has sparked significant backlash with comments made on TikTok regarding the selection of a Vice Presidential candidate. Reid suggested that Arizona Senator Mark Kelly would have been a more appealing choice for Vice President for Kamala Harris, even describing him as “white as a mayonnaise sandwich on wonder bread.”

Reid, 55, expressed surprise that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was chosen as the Vice Presidential candidate, noting that she had anticipated Harris would opt for Kelly, a former astronaut. Her remarks did not sit well with many viewers, who accused her of racism and questioned her focus on race in the discussion.

One online critic responded, “Reid is a racist. Could you imagine if this was reversed?” This comment echoes the sentiments of many who found her remarks offensive. It is not the first time Reid has posted controversial content on her TikTok account. Recently, she suggested that Black Americans would need to be “real crazy” and “weird” not to vote for Harris in the upcoming elections.

In her video, Reid stated, “This is not the pick I expected her to make,” referring to Walz. She mentioned that the race for the Vice President spot had reportedly been narrowed down to three candidates: Walz, Kelly, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. Reid elaborated that she thought Harris would have chosen Kelly, viewing him as “the safest, most conventionally safe pick… white, super white.”

She continued, “Kelly, to me, would have been the safest pick, white, like a mayonnaise sandwich on wonder bread white.” Reid’s comments about Kelly’s whiteness were particularly contentious, drawing ire from many viewers. One critic described her as “the ultimate race baiter.”

Moreover, Reid suggested that Kelly’s status as a senator from a border state could have made a strong argument for Harris, especially with the border being one of Harris’s perceived vulnerabilities compared to Donald Trump. However, viewers were not swayed by this rationale, criticizing Reid for emphasizing the skin color of the Vice Presidential pick.

In the wake of her comments, one critic called for MSNBC to justify having such a “racist” person on their network. Last month, Reid also faced backlash for her controversial statements regarding an attempted assassination of Donald Trump. She implied that Trump had not actually been shot, leading to a wave of criticism from conservatives.

In that instance, Reid questioned the Secret Service’s handling of the episode, pointing out what she referred to as “weird” aspects of the situation. She suggested that it seemed like a staged event, allowing Trump to pose for an iconic photo of him pumping his fist in the air. Her remarks were called “outrageous, insane, defamatory” by conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who called on MSNBC to remove Reid from the air. Kirk also suggested that Trump should sue Reid for her assertions.

Reid’s controversial take extended to comparing Trump’s incident with President Biden testing positive for COVID-19, claiming both scenarios conveyed the same message. Her statement was criticized for being irresponsible and dangerous, drawing condemnation from conservative circles, including CPAC host Mercedes Schlapp, who deemed her the “ultimate conspiracy theorist.”

Schlapp and others have called for Reid’s firing from MSNBC, arguing that her continued presence on the network undermines its credibility. The controversy surrounding Reid’s comments only adds to her growing list of contentious statements and criticism from conservative quarters.