The tension between Sunny Hostin and writer Coleman Hughes could be cut with a knife on this morning’s episode of The View. The duo got into a heated tiff after Hostin accused Coleman of being politically conservative.
Coleman joined the Hot Topics panel to promote his new book The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America, which argues that the anti-racist movement has only worsened racism in America. He believes the best way to help disadvantaged people is to address them based on poverty rather than the color of their skin.
The podcaster’s views didn’t quite sit well with Hostin, who was quick to denounce his book’s premise as “fundamentally flawed.” After going back and forth on their respective interpretations of Dr. Martin Luther King‘s teachings, Hostin said she believes Coleman’s view was “co-opted” by Republicans.
“Your argument for color blindness I think is something that the right has co-opted,” she told him. “Many in the Black community, if I’m being honest with you, believe that you’re being used as a pawn by the right and that you’re a charlatan of sorts.”
Alyssa Farah Griffin chimed in to remind Hostin that Coleman is “not a Republican” and that he’s “never voted for a Republican.” The former prosecutor then accused him of calling himself “conservative” in a podcast he did two weeks ago — something he vehemently denied.
“I don’t think I’ve been co-opted by anyone. I’ve only voted twice — both for Democrats. I’m an independent,” Coleman said. “I would vote for a Republican — probably a non-Trump Republican if they were compelling. I don’t think there’s any evidence I’ve been co-opted by anyone and I think that’s an at-homonym tactic people use to not address the important conversations we’re having here.”
In an attempt to change the subject, he added, “I think it’s better and it would be better for everyone if we stuck to the topics rather than make it about me.”
But Hostin wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easily. She told him again that she wanted to give him the opportunity to respond to his critics.
“There’s no evidence that I’ve been co-opted by anyone,” he said. “I have an Independent podcast. I work for CNN as an analyst. I write for the free press. I’m Independent in all of these endeavors and nobody is paying me to say what I’m saying. I’m saying it because I feel it.”
The View airs on weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.
