CNN panel careens off the rails after guest’s remarks about ‘house blacks’ vs ‘field blacks’

A CNN panel discussion on the late push by the Kamala Harris campaign to get black male voters back in line careened off the rails after a guest referenced a racially-charged term used by Malcolm X to describe blacks who are subservient to the system.

On Wednesday’s edition of “CNN News Central,” anchor Sara Sidner hosted a discussion between pro-Trump radio host Shelley Wynter and Harris advocate and former DNC Vice Chairman Michael Blake – both of whom are black – when things became very heated after the Democrat lost his mind over the use of the terms “house” and “field” African-Americans.

(Video Credit: CNN)

Sidner teed up a clip of Trump speaking at an event in Pennsylvania where he remarked that blacks who vote for Harris should have their “head examined” because of the “screwing” that they’ve received under the Democrat administration before turning the floor over to Wynter.

After mentioning Barack Obama’s insulting comments to the “brothers” to shame them into backing the Democrat nominee, the talk radio host brought up the slain 1960s activist and civil rights leader’s distinction between free-thinking blacks and mind slaves.

“If you’re an African-American man, look, let me boil this election down in the African-American community to a very simple, I’ll reference the great Malcolm X,” he said. “This race is between house African-Americans and field African-Americans and the field African-Americans are going for Donald Trump.”

“Wow!” Sidner said.

“I’m talking about your men. I’m talking about your men who build, your men, who put things together, your men who work with their hands, your men who do things, not the men who push paper or the men who are connected to power and want to continue to be connected to power,” Wynter added.

Sidner cut him off, “Are you… are you denigrating, are you denigrating African-American men who are professionals, who work in white-collar jobs? Is that what I’m hearing from you or…”

“Is Shelley the house one or the field one?” Blake jumped in. “I’m just trying to understand that part of it, I’m just trying to understand… I’m just trying to understand.”

“I’m just trying to understand the one that’s spinning talking points right now, are you, are you the house Negro or the field negro that you’re referring to?” Black asked. “So I just want to make sure your question was about denigrating black people, that literally was your question, you have a Republican fool who is talking right now… you literally just said that black men … you actually just said that this is an election about house or field. This is the nonsense we are listening to right now by those that are supporting Donald Trump.”

“No that’s not what I said,” Wynter protested as Blake talked over him in a segment that quickly grew very heated.

After more back and forth, Sidner regained control over her show and allowed Wynter to speak.

“The point I’m making ma’am, Sara,” he said. “The… the point I’m making is this, the men who get up, the men who get up every day and make things happen with their hands, they build things. They’re plumbers, they’re electricians, they’re working for Amazon. These men who… who are coaching seven and under football, not because their son or daughter plays, but because they want to keep brothers off the streets and they’re volunteering their time.”

“These men, these men are going for Trump, these men and I’ll use an analogy made famous by the great Malcolm X. So if you’re saying that I’m denigrating anybody? Then you must assume that he was denigrating somebody. So don’t even throw that word out there again,” he added.

After more filibustering by Blake, Sidner ended the segment.

“The house Negro usually lived close to his master. He dressed like his master. He wore his master’s second-hand clothes. He ate food that his master left on the table. And he lived in his master’s house–probably in the basement or the attic–but he still lived in the master’s house,” Malcolm X said, according to a transcription of his famous 1963 speech.

“But then you had another Negro out in the field. The house Negro was in the minority. The masses–the field Negroes were the masses. They were in the majority. When the master got sick, they prayed that he’d die,” he added. “If his house caught on fire, they’d pray for a wind to come along and fan the breeze.”

It was inevitable that the election would become a racially charged contest because it’s all the Democrats have.

Chris Donaldson

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