Congresswoman Reveals Text From Report During Testimony
There’s no doubt that politics can be intense, and sometimes a little lighthearted moment of revenge can feel especially satisfying. Enter Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who delivered just that during a House Oversight Committee hearing on Thursday. In a masterclass of political theater, Mace brought up a heated exchange from a month prior, during which she had been accused of racism for allegedly mispronouncing Vice President Kamala Harris’ name on a CNN segment. But instead of taking the criticism lying down, Mace came prepared to turn the tables on her accusers—with a twist that no one saw coming.
Let’s rewind to a month ago when Mace found herself on the receiving end of an all-out verbal barrage from CNN panelists during a discussion about Kamala Harris’s campaign strategy. Among her critics were Vanderbilt professor Michael Eric Dyson and commentator Keith Boykin, both of whom tore into Mace for supposedly not pronouncing Harris’ name correctly. Dyson went so far as to insinuate that Mace’s refusal to adopt the "correct" pronunciation was rooted in racism, saying, “That’s the white disregard for the history and humanity of black people.” It was a heavy accusation, and one that clearly didn’t sit well with Mace.
OMG: Rep. Nancy Mace puts texts screenshots into the Congressional record showing Michael Eric Dyson hitting on her and sending her ‘kissy emojis’ after calling her racist.
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) September 19, 2024
Fast forward to Thursday's hearing, where Mace saw her opportunity to not only call out the hypocrisy of her critics but also add a personal twist that left everyone buzzing. As she took her turn to speak, Mace methodically dismantled the idea that only Republicans or conservatives have struggled with pronouncing Harris’ name. She pointed out that even prominent Democrats, including President Joe Biden, have at times pronounced Harris’ name differently than what her critics deemed “correct.” But she didn’t stop there.
In a move that caught everyone off guard, Mace produced receipts—specifically, a screenshot of a text message she received from none other than Michael Eric Dyson himself after the CNN interview. The message, she claimed, came just after Dyson had accused her of racism on national television. According to Mace, Dyson had texted her asking for photos and telling her they "look good together," even going so far as to include a kissy-face emoji. As Mace dryly pointed out, this was not the behavior of someone who was all that upset about how she pronounced Kamala’s name. "The guy says I’m gorgeous in all these photos," Mace said with a hint of sarcasm, implying that perhaps Dyson wasn’t as bent out of shape over her behavior as he had made it seem on air.
Michael Eric Dyson and I had to correct Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) at least 10 times last night for purposely mispronouncing Kamala Harris’s name. “I will say Kamala’s name any way that I want to,” Mace said.
This is what the Republican Party has become. ♂️ pic.twitter.com/RVmS8cbBFe
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) August 16, 2024
For those keeping score, Dyson is a married man, which only adds to the irony and awkwardness of the situation. Mace’s decision to drop this bombshell in a public hearing—and in such a calm, collected manner—was the political equivalent of hitting a walk-off home run. By turning Dyson’s accusations of racism on their head and exposing the personal messages he had sent her, Mace was able to undermine the credibility of her critics while showcasing the hypocrisy she believes is rampant on the left.
Now, to be fair, Mace is not without her own set of critics, even within conservative circles. Some on the right have been lukewarm toward her, accusing her of being too moderate or not reliably conservative. But moments like these show that when she decides to bring the heat, she does so in a way that’s hard to ignore. Without breaking a sweat, Mace managed to serve up a delicious dish of political payback, all while maintaining her composure and delivering a message about double standards.
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) September 19, 2024
This exchange also highlights a broader issue in today’s political climate—the tendency to weaponize accusations of racism or bias without applying those same standards across the board. Mace’s point was clear: if Democrats and progressives are going to criticize Republicans for something as trivial as name pronunciation, they had better be prepared to hold themselves to the same standard. And when they don’t, as Mace demonstrated, it leaves them vulnerable to being called out in spectacular fashion.