Sunny Hostin to Rep. Jeffries: ‘How Did a Convicted Felon Resonate More with Americans than a Hyperqualified Woman of Color?’ Is It Racism?

HOSTIN: “Something that I’m still struggling with, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on, is how did a convicted felon resonate more with Americans than a hyper-qualified woman of color? Do you think that racism and misogyny played any part in this election?”
Jeffries: “Well, you know, listen, I think that Vice President Harris was eminently qualified —“
BEHAR: “Yeah.”
HOSTIN: “Mm-hmm.”
Jeffries: “— and I supported her with everything that I had, and I think so many Americans did. It was a close election at the end of the day, didn’t break in her direction. I think we all are going to unpack as part of our after action analysis, how did this happen?”
HOSTIN: “Yeah.”
Jeffries: “Where did we fall short? I do think that the emerging lesson, separate and apart from reasons may be connected to race and misogyny, is that the economy was the dominant thing —“
HOSTIN: “OK.”
Jeffries: “— for a lot of folks, particularly when you consider that in many communities of color, there was movement away from the Democratic candidate and toward the former president. But we — I think we have to unpack it all. And it’s understandable that there’s great disappointment amongst a lot of people.”
HOSTIN: “Yeah.”
Jeffries: “You know, she represented tremendous hope for a new day in the United States of America. But Shirley Chisholm took a step forward. Hillary Clinton took a step forward. Now, Kamala Harris has taken a step forward.” [crosstalk]
BEHAR: “Geraldine Ferraro.”
Jeffries: “Geraldine Ferraro, shout out to Queens, New York. (Applause) And Geraldine Ferraro took an incredible step forward. That was all part of the path —“
BEHAR: “Mm-hmm.”
Jeffries: “— to where we will eventually get to in the United States of America.”
HOSTIN: “Yeah.”