Maryland GOP congressional candidate Kimberly Klacik’s appearance on Friday’s broadcast of ABC’s “The View” was abruptly cut off after Klacik accused co-host Joy Behar of parading “around in blackface not too long ago.”
Partial transcript as follows:
SARA HAINES: I want to ask you about the coronavirus. We heard that tape where President Trump admitted he wanted to publicly downplay the threat of the pandemic even though he knew it was spread through the air and it was going to be very deadly. We see how the virus has disproportionately affected the African-American community. Do you think continually downplayed the threat cost lives?
KLACIK: That’s a great question. Thank you, Sara. First of all, I think that, you know, we didn’t handle the pandemic as a country great as a whole. This is why I talk about bringing the biotech industry right through the Baltimore City Port. We allowed a lot of jobs and manufacturing to go overseas thanks to NAFTA and the Bill Clinton administration, and that’s why he’s pulling it back. Had we had that medical equipment industry here, we would have been more equipped to better handle the pandemic. Now you say it disproportionately affecting black lives, if you look at Baltimore, you have things like a food desert. They don’t have grocery stores. They don’t have what they need around them in their neighborhoods. So yeah. I believe a coronavirus pandemic would affect us more. Look at my campaign ad. Look at the living conditions. That would affect us more, absolutely. That’s why I’m running for office.
BEHAR: Come on, Kim. Excuse me. I have to say something to you. He told Bob Woodward that it was a very serious issue, and it’s airborne and that it was terrible, and then he went out and told the American people, don’t wear masks. It’s all going to go away. You have to put some blame on your president. I’m sorry. You’re putting it on something extraneous.
KLACIK: Is this Joy speaking? The same Joy that paraded around in blackface not too long ago? Come on, Joy, I don’t think you should be asking questions —”
BEHAR: That’s not true. Excuse me — excuse me! The black community had my back. They know that that was not blackface. That was an homage. Oh, please.
KLACIK: The black community has my back as well.
SUNNY HOSTIN: The black community has your back? The black community has your back? The black community did not vote for you. The black community did not vote for you. What planet are you living on? What planet are you living on —
KLACIK: Sunny, can I speak? It was during a special election while we were still under lockdown —
HOSTIN: Wow! Wow!
KLACIK: Can I speak, or are you just going to scream over me?
BEHAR: All right, before this become a big — listen, Kim, good luck to you. Thanks to Kim Klacik. Bye.
KLACIK: That’s been very immature, but thank you for having me.
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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