Cory Booker Mocked for ‘Derogatory’ Gaffe While Fawning Over Ketanji Brown Jackson

Joshua KleinMarch 22, 2022

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) received backlash online for seemingly stating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination showed that an “extraordinarily talented” individual “who also happens to be a black woman” was something “we’ve never seen before.”

In an emotional opening statement at the confirmation hearing for President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, on Monday, New Jersey Democrat Sen. Cory Booker expressed his excitement for the occasion, yet was called out for saying something that appeared highly offensive to many.

“I cannot tell you how happy I am,” he said. “Today, we should rejoice because President Biden nominated someone that we’ve heard to be the 116th associate judge of the supreme court who is extraordinarily talented and who also happens to be a black woman — something we’ve never seen before.”

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Booker was scorched online following his remarks.

“Is this a slap at Kamala?” asked conservative commentator David Horowitz.

Is this a slap at Kamala? https://t.co/ML00opJqud

— David Horowitz (@horowitz39) March 21, 2022

“Cory, there are many more extraordinary talented black women than you know or believe that exist,” wrote one Twitter user. “Sad he thinks so little of women, esp black women.”

“Wait, is Booker claiming that there has never been an extraordinarily talented black woman before?” another user asked.

“They call everyone else a racist because they’re the actual racists,” wrote one Twitter user.

“Wow, so Cory Booker has never seen an extraordinarily talented black woman before,” wrote another. “Ladies, I think Booker needs to be removed from the Senate immediately.”

“Stupidity seems to be more communicable than Covid among Democrats,” the user added.

“Corey’s never seen an extraordinary talented black woman? What a racist” another user wrote.

“Well that’s pretty derogatory,” wrote another Twitter user.

“That sounded racist AND sexist to me,” another user wrote.

“Should have had a staffer review the last part,” wrote yet another.

“Hmm, he may want to reword that,” another wrote.

“Reminds me of Biden saying, Barack Obama was ‘the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean,’” one Twitter user wrote.

Others took aim at Booker’s charge that the nomination of a female minority was a happy coincidence after President Joe Biden said in 2020 that he intended to appoint a black woman to the Supreme Court.

“Happens to be? Biden literally said that color and gender were most important when choosing this nominee,” wrote one Twitter user. “So please spare us with this, happens to be.”

@CoryBooker says, “…who also happens to be a black woman…” Happens to be? Biden literally said that color and gender were most important when choosing this nominee. So please spare us with this, happens to be. #spartacusreturns #iamspartacus https://t.co/gJXIBlBOC4

— Ryan (@BottleTherapy73) March 21, 2022

“No, being a black woman was the prerequisite,” wrote another.

“She doesn’t ‘happen to be’ a black woman. Only black women were considered for the role,” another wrote.

“It’s like saying ‘the Employee of the Month happens to be a member of this company,’” the user added.

RNC spokesperson Paris Dennard called out Booker’s enthusiasm, claiming it would not have been the case in the event of a conservative nominee.

“I doubt Sen. Booker would have been so joyful and excited if there was a Black female Conservative lawyer or judge sitting in front of him to be on the #SCOTUS,” he wrote.

“Demorcats praise diversity when the person is Liberal and literally tear them down if the candidate is Conservative,” he added.

I doubt Sen. Booker would have been so joyful and excited if there was a Black female Conservative lawyer or judge sitting in front of him to be on the #SCOTUS.

Demorcats praise diversity when the person is Liberal and literally tear them down if the candidate is Conservative.

— PARIS (@PARISDENNARD) March 21, 2022

On Monday, Booker said that Jackson resembled famed Major League Baseball player and civil rights icon Jackie Robinson who was celebrated as having broken the “color barrier” in sports in the 1940s.

“It’s about time we reach deep into the well of quality and genius and talent and create credentials for black women and show she’s like Jackie Robinson, probably overqualified to be in the National Baseball League but he came forward and showed us what the full talent and array of American potential is,” he said.

Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.