Surprise has abated by now. President Obama’s FHFA nominee Mel Watt:
Watt reportedly said that a “substantial majority of white voters” would not vote for a black candidate under any circumstances.
He acknowledged “some” white people would support a black candidate, but said voters who refuse should be “factored out.”
“I’ve got no use for them in the democratic process,” he reportedly said.
Watt also claimed that black voters — unlike white voters — don’t have “an absolute commitment” to voting for a candidate based on race.”
Perhaps Mr. Watt was looking at polarization coefficients from his own Congressional district history, but reversing the labels on the columns.