In a segment on Watters World, Jesse Watters confronts Benny Thompson (D-MS) for calling Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas an ‘Uncle Tom’, pointing out that it’s a disrespectful epitaph.
Thompson defends the statement, claiming that people he represents “had a real problem with his lack of sensitivity.”
Watters presses him, asking “but you don’t believe he’s an Uncle Tom do you? That’s pretty disparaging isn’t it?”
Thompson defends it again, clarifying that he disagrees with Thomas’ decision as it relates to “people of color.”
Watters proceeds to ask Thompson about other comments he made in the same interview suggesting that opposition to Obama was based on racism. Thompson responds that many of Obama’s policies have addressed problems in the black community.
This is when Watters turned it around on Thompson:
“Blacks have suffered a lot under Obama’s policies — record unemployment, record poverty. If going in the opposite direction of those policies is racist, how does that make sense to you?”
Thompson responds “Blacks have not suffered under his administration. Unemployment is lower than it’s been in years.”
Watters corrects the Congressman by saying “That’s just not true, with all due respect Congressman. Under the Bush administration unemployment was much lower.”
The Congressman turned and walked away.
Watch the clip: