Barbara Lee responds to Nikki Haley: Racism ‘is in the DNA of this country’

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) blasted GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley for her recent remarks that America is not a racist country. 

Speaking Friday to CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins, Lee refuted Haley’s comments that America has “little kinks” to fix. 

“Racism, institutional racism, is in the DNA of this country,” Lee said. “When you look at what has taken place, look at our Native Americans, the genocide of Native Americans. When you look at what has taken place as it relates to African Americans, 250 years plus of enslaving African Americans, and then you look at the disparities now in our community in terms of health care, unemployment, the wealth gap, housing. You can’t tell me the systemic racism does not exist. It’s not just a little kink.”

She went on to share a personal story about how she faced racism in the halls of Congress, when a white man stopped her from entering a members-only elevator as she was on her way to vote. At the time, Lee said, she was wearing her member’s pin, which identified her as a member of Congress. 

“He blocked me from getting into the elevator and told me I was not a member of Congress and it was for members only,” Lee said. “I said, ‘Sir, I’m a member of Congress.’ And I showed him my pin and he said, ‘Whose pin did you steal?’ This is an example of what personal racism is and how people of color constantly have to deal with this each and every day.”

Haley’s comments came at a CNN town hall where she said telling Black and brown children they live in a racist country means “you’re immediately telling them they don’t have a chance.”

The former United Nations ambassador has come under fire in recent weeks after neglecting to mention slavery in her answer about what caused the Civil War. 

In her answer, Haley said the Civil War was about “the freedoms of what people could and couldn’t do.”

When pressed on the issue of slavery, Haley responded, “What do you want me to say about slavery?”

She later walked back her comments, saying “of course” the Civil War was about slavery. But she has since reiterated her belief that America is not, and has never been, a racist country.

Lee said that Haley’s viewpoint is “very dangerous” and that she’s “clueless.”

Lee is running for the Senate seat vacated by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), currently occupied by Sen. Laphonza Butler (D). Lee is facing off against two other Democrats: Reps. Adam Schiff (Calif.) and Katie Porter (Calif.). 

This week, California newspapers owned by McClatchy endorsed Lee in the primary. 

Despite the endorsements, a Berkeley IGS poll released Friday shows Schiff is favored by 21 percent of California voters. Porter won 17 percent in the poll and Lee got 9 percent support. Schiff has been endorsed by the Los Angeles Times, the state’s largest newspaper. 

California’s primary will take place March 5.