Media

MSNBC’s Johnson roasted after calling Sanders aides ‘island of misfit black girls’

by Joe Concha - 02/22/20 8:34 AM ET

MSNBC’s Jason Johnson’s reference to some of Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) presidential campaign staffers as an “island of misfit black girls” was met with swift blowback on social media, with many calling on the network to hold its political contributor accountable for his rhetoric.

The rebuke comes after Johnson, in a SiriusXM interview on Friday, said that “racist, liberal whites seem to love them some Bernie Sanders,” which also sparked condemnation of the Morgan State University journalism professor, including from Briahna Joy Gray, Sanders’s national press secretary.

I hope we can have political disputes without engaging in open racism and sexism. This misogynoir is disappointing, but not surprising from @DrJasonJohnson.

I hope we can all encourage each other to be better. #BernieBeatsTrump #BloombergIsAnOligarch https://t.co/DNBdbtjwMH

— Briahna Joy Gray (@briebriejoy) February 21, 2020

“Racist, liberal whites seem to love them some Bernie Sanders.

He cares nothing for intersectionality. I don’t care how many people from the island of misfit Black girls you throw out there to defend you.”@DrJasonJohnson on Bernie’s staff & supporters. MSNBC should sever ties. pic.twitter.com/abxZKsFhaA

— Samuel D. Finkelstein II (@CANCEL_SAM) February 21, 2020

“The island of misfit black girls”???!!! Haha OK now we know what this lil grifter is all about. Mask off indeed. https://t.co/ndVADsuSCF

— Cassie da Costa (@tooearnest) February 21, 2020

Wow, really? . Please the next time you talk smack about us, have the decency to put some respect on our names!

— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) February 21, 2020

This is a truly disgusting thing to say about strong women like @briebriejoy and @ninaturner, not to mention an entire movement of people that happens to be the most diverse coalition of any candidate. https://t.co/cgbFap8G9G

— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) February 21, 2020

Benjamin Dixon, a Sanders supporter and the editor-in-chief of the online publication Progressive Army, also slammed Johnson while appearing on MSNBC’s “The Beat” with Ari Melber.

“There is a large coalition of people who believe in what he’s trying to do for the working class because, quite frankly, there is a lot of black people who are working class and not just misfits, according to Dr. Jason Johnson of your network,” said Dixon.

“Shots fired, as they say,” Melber replied. “I’ll try to get you and Jason on a segment together so you guys can have that conversation.”

The Hill has reached out to MSNBC for comment.

Tags Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders Jason Johnson MSNBC MSNBC