USA TODAY International Edition
Ex-Trump staffer says Democrat is out of ‘cotton-picking mind’
The former deputy campaign manager for President Donald Trump told a black Democratic strategist he was out of his “cotton-picking mind” while bickering on Fox News on Sunday morning.
The comment by David Bossie, who now leads Citizens United, instantly drew backlash and caused Fox News host Ed Henry to issue an apology on air. Later Sunday, Bossie also personally apologized for using the offensive phrase.
Bossie and Joel Payne, a Democratic strategist, were discussing immigration and the upcoming midterms when the debate between the pair became more heated.
Payne listed some of the controversies surrounding Trump since he took office, including Trump’s muchdiscussed comments that downplayed the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, then told Bossie that the American people “don’t have to be a golden retriever to hear all the dog whistles coming out of the White House these days and from my friend David over here.”
A dog whistle is a subtle comment that isn’t understood widely but aimed toward a particular political group where it’s read perfectly clear.
The pair went back and forth again, then Bossie told Payne, “You’re out of your cotton-picking mind.”
Payne appeared taken aback and said, “Lemme tell you something. I’ve got some relatives that picked cotton, and I’m not going to sit here and allow you to attack me like that.”
After the segment, Henry addressed the remarks, apologizing on behalf of the network and explaining that Fox News does not agree with Bossie’s comment.
“I just want to address what just happened in that debate. Obviously it got fiery, and David Bossie used a phrase that clearly offended Joel Payne, and it offended many others,” Henry said.
He said that while he has known Bossie for a long time, he would let him address the comment but wanted to make sure viewers knew that both he and the network did not condone that phrase because “it was obviously offensive.”
Several hours after the segment, Bossie issued an apology on Twitter.
“During a heated segment on Fox & Friends today, I should have chosen my words more carefully and never used the offensive phrase that I did,” he wrote.
“I apologize to Joel Payne, Fox News and its viewers.”
Fox News also released a statement to USA TODAY, saying Bossie’s comments were “deeply offensive and wholly inappropriate.”
The network continued: “His remarks do not reflect the sentiments of Fox News and we do not in any way condone them.”