‘Because Our Skull Has Ears!’ MSNBC’s Al Sharpton Loses It As Trump VP Hopeful Denies Remarks About Racist Segregation Era

MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton got into it with Trump VP hopeful Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) when Donalds denied the widespread interpretation among critics of his remarks about the racist Jim Crow era.

Donalds has been under fire this past week over comments in which he favorably compared conditions for Black families under Jim Crow with those in post-Civil Rights Era America.

But on Saturday’s edition of MSNBC’s PoliticsNation, Rep. Donalds withstood a blistering barrage from Rev. Sharpton for denying that’s what he did — although he was correct in saying he did not use the exact words “Jim Crow was better for Black families”:

REV. AL SHARPTON: If we are going to talk about the era, Congressman and you name a race-based law, then you cannot take race out of the fact Jim Crow was a law against Black people. You weren’t just talking about–.

REP. BYRON DONALDS: Oh I know! I’m well aware.

REV. AL SHARPTON: –The era of Eisenhower and Harry Truman, you name Jim Crow. There’s only one way you could deal with Jim Crow, and that’s by race.

I mean, look, I’m a look. You and I had mutual friends. People say you’re a straight shooter. I mean, we may disagree on politics. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt.

But, look, you were born in Brooklyn. You went down into the South, went to Florida State. You have an interracial marriage, you’re the congressman of a district. There’s not a Black district.

I mean, how can you even live with yourself acting like Jim Crow was a good era, or better era for Blacks? What happened to you?

REP. BYRON DONALDS: Okay, that’s real cute. That’s real cute. I did not say that!

REV. AL SHARPTON: I’m not being cute! I’m asking you a straight-up question!

REP. BYRON DONALDS: And I’m not going to sit here and have you insinuate that against me, because right now you’re lying about what I said. I did say Jim Crow. I did reference it–.

REV. AL SHARPTON: Four times!

REP. BYRON DONALDS: –Three times. That’s not to say that it was better. I never said that. Those words never came out of my mouth. When are you going to get that through your skull ,and everybody else’s skull? I never said, and the difference between me–

REV. AL SHARPTON: Maybe because our skull has ears and we heard what you said! You said it was better for us, under Jim Crow, to bring families together–.

REP. BYRON DONALDS: And a lot of other Republicans is I’m not going to sit here and be lied on.

(CROSSTALK)

REP. BYRON DONALDS: People can look at my words. Did I say Jim Crow was better? No I did not.

(CROSSTALK)

REV. AL SHARPTON: All right, then, what did Jim Crow do to contribute to Black families? (long pause) Hello?

REP. BYRON DONALDS: I’m not talking. Oh my gosh!

REV. AL SHARPTON: You said that “under Jim Crow Black Families… So explain to me what Jim Crow did to help Black families.

REP. BYRON DONALDS: The marriage rates during the Jim Crow era were higher for Black families.

REV. AL SHARPTON: Because of Jim Crow?

REP. BYRON DONALDS: — up until the point of the Great Society. I did not say that. I said they were. And this is the problem because you’re trying to say that I said, because of Jim Crow marriages were at a higher rate.

REV. AL SHARPTON: You said Jim Crow, sir, I didn’t.

REP. BYRON DONALDS: I said during. I said during–

REV. AL SHARPTON: But why did you use Jim Crow? Jim Crow was–Well. First of all, the Great Society did programs like Manpower training Model cities trained young people, HEW didn’t do anything about families, lives, health, education, welfare. So, I mean, what are you talking about? They were not the antithesis to marriage.

I mean, Congressman.

Here are the full remarks Rep. Donalds posted, in which he explicitly compares conditions in the Jim Crow era with those following the passage of Civil Rights-era laws and programs:

You see, during Jim Crow, during Jim Crow, the Black family was together. (That’s right.) During Jim Crow, more Black people were not just conservative, Black people have always have been conservative-minded.

But, more Black people voted conservatively. Yeah.

And then HEW, Lyndon Johnson. And then you go down that road and now we are where we are.

What’s happened in America the last ten years, and I’ll say it, because it’s my contemporaries, it’s Wesley’s contemporaries, you’re starting to see more Black people being married in homes, raising kids.

It’s when you home with your wife, raising your kids. And, then, you look at the world, you’re saying, no, wait a minute. Time out. This does not look right.

How can I give something to my kids? It goes back to the conversation of generational wealth. Not just having a job, generational wealth.

I’m looking at my kids, how can my kids will be on my shoulders when they take off in life? That’s what’s happening.

Watch above via MSNBC’s PoliticsNation.