A member of the White House press corps attempted to prove there was a correlation between Rep. Mel Watt’s (D-N.C.) failed confirmation in the Senate and his race, calling on White House Press Secretary Jay Carney on Thursday to speculate if that was the reason his nomination was blocked.
April Ryan, a White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks, asked Carney about the confirmation of Watt, an African-American, as the head of the Federal Housing Finance Authority. Watt’s confirmation was blocked in the Senate on Wednesday, and Ryan prompted Carney to speculate if his race played any role.
“Does this White House agree with civil rights leaders who have cited prior examples to include this President, that many people thought was not qualified for this position.He had the pedigree like anyone else except his race,” Ryan asked. “Then you had Susan Rice that she was held up. She was qualified for … Secretary for State, that didn’t go through. Do you think this is another issue along those same lines where race is a factor?”
Carney, though, said the Senate’s filibuster was just “about politics” not race.
“So am I correct in saying that the White House is saying to these civil rights leaders ‘look it’s about politics, it’s not necessarily the race?'” Ryan continued.
“I think it is about politics and I think that we’ve seen this kind of obstruction far too often,” Carney said. “For individual motivations, you need to ask the individuals.”
The Federal Housing Finance Authority serves as the warden of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and as the agency’s head, Watt would be in charge of all agencies overseeing the real estate industry.
The Senate’s filibuster is the first of a sitting member of Congress since the Civil War. Republicans in the upper chamber believe Watt is too political to serve as the Authority’s head and doubt whether he has the experience to fulfill the role.
