If the word “cringe” were made into a tweet, that tweet would be the one sent by Dr. Carol Swain regarding Fox News’ decision to have anchor Lawrence B. Jones temporarily occupy the spot left by former host Tucker Carlson. On Monday night, Swain, a conservative author/commentator, claimed that the network only put Jones in that slot because of “race-based affirmative action” and not because of his talent and experience.
She wrote:
I am sure #LawrenceJones did not ask to be USED as #TuckerCarlson ‘s temporary replacement. Given Jones’ age and experience, it looks like a race-based #affirmativeaction appointment that allows @Foxnews to virtue signal. Is #Foxnews following the #BidenAdministration exampleof stoking division by placing identity politics above merit & experience? I wonder.
I am sure #LawrenceJones did not ask to be USED as #TuckerCarlson ‘s temporary replacement. Given Jones’ age and experience, it looks like a race-based #affirmativeaction appointment that allows @Foxnews to virtue signal. Is #Foxnews following the #BidenAdministration exampleof… https://t.co/8TSdq8zvz4
— Dr. Carol M. Swain (@carolmswain) May 2, 2023
Naturally, Swain’s comments were met with fierce criticism. In fact, most of the backlash came from folks on the right who defended Jones, who has been with Fox News for nine years.
Radio talk show host Dana Loesch chimed in, taking Swain to task for insulting “his years of growth, dedication, and talent.” She tweeted:
If anyone thinks this they don’t know how hard my friend @LawrenceBJones3 has worked over the years to get where he is. To diminish his hard work with the stroke of “affirmative action” is insulting to his years of growth, dedication, and talent.
Ok no, we're not doing this.
If anyone thinks this they don't know how hard my friend @LawrenceBJones3 has worked over the years to get where he is. To diminish his hard work with the stroke of "affirmative action" is insulting to his years of growth, dedication, and talent. https://t.co/wUe6b8GZul
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) May 2, 2023
Author Kira Davis called Swain’s take “disgusting” and pointed out how hard he has worked to get to this position:
This is a disgusting take, Carol. @LawrenceBJones3 is a young man. He’s worked hard and he’s a good man. Encourage him. Uplift him. Cheer for him. Assuming this young man is unqualified for the job based on his race is…well…racist. Despicable. I expect better from you.
This is a disgusting take, Carol. @LawrenceBJones3 is a young man. He’s worked hard and he’s a good man. Encourage him. Uplift him. Cheer for him. Assuming this young man is unqualified for the job based on his race is…well…racist. Despicable. I expect better from you. https://t.co/Ij3JdT6vep
— Kira (@RealKiraDavis) May 2, 2023
Demetrius Minor, executive director at Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty noted that “[t]here’s a lot of jealousy and envy with some black conservative circles” and insisted that people should “always debate policy.” He wrote:
This is distasteful take. And let me go ahead and say this: There’s a lot of jealousy and envy with some black conservative circles. We should always debate policy, but personal attacks hurts and limits the cause.
This is distasteful take. And let me go ahead and say this: There’s a lot of jealousy and envy with some black conservative circles. We should always debate policy, but personal attacks hurts and limits the cause. https://t.co/yp6uSQo71Q
— Demetrius Minor (@dminor85) May 2, 2023
RedState’s Managing Editor Jennifer Van Laar noted that Jones “has been kicking ass at Fox for quite some time now.” She wrote:
Way to take the excitement out of someone’s very hard-earned accomplishment.
Lawrence has been kicking ass at Fox for quite some time now.
Way to take the excitement out of someone's very hard-earned accomplishment.
Lawrence has been kicking ass at Fox for quite some time now. https://t.co/OkM9qRHVKq
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) May 2, 2023
Darvio Morrow, CEO of the FCB Network and a conservative radio host pulled no punches when responding to Swain’s “awful take.” He wrote:
What an awful take. @LawrenceBJones3 has put the work in and has earned his shot. So now anytime a black person gets an opportunity it’s going to be deemed an “affirmative action” hire? Shameful, Dr. Swain. Shameful
What an awful take. @LawrenceBJones3 has put the work in and has earned his shot. So now anytime a black person gets an opportunity it’s going to be deemed an “affirmative action” hire? Shameful, Dr. Swain. Shameful https://t.co/NXfLLumWrn
— Darvio Morrow (@DTheKingpin) May 2, 2023
Of course, you know yours truly had to chime in:
Wait…what?
Gotta take issue with this Dr. Swain, respectfully.@LawrenceBJones3 has proven himself time and time again at Fox News.
This comment is an insult the the work he has put in to get to where he is. It isn't fair. https://t.co/GPSCI0HVkb
— Jeff Charles, Agent of Chaos🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) May 2, 2023
Seeing the criticism, Swain posted another tweet on her thread claiming that her comments “were meant to be a critique of @Foxnews.” She wrote:
It looks like we have a healthy debate taking place. My remarks were meant to be a critique of @Foxnews and how I thought this would play in the current political environment. It is quite possible that some of the other possible fill-ins are declining because of the politics of how Tucker was treated. It is likely that Jones might bring new viewers to the network. Some of us are not ready to tune-in out of curiosity.
It looks like we have a healthy debate taking place. My remarks were meant to be a critique of @Foxnews and how I thought this would play in the current political environment. It is quite possible that some of the other possible fill-ins are declining because of the politics of…
— Dr. Carol M. Swain (@carolmswain) May 2, 2023
Yeah, that response doesn’t make sense. There is plenty to criticize Fox News for without demeaning one of its most likable hosts because he is a black man.
I was nicer than I normally would have been when responding to an ignorant take such as this. I’ve met Dr. Swain in person and I like her.
But my point is clear: Denigrating Lawrence B. Jones because you are mad at Fox News is not the way to go, nor does it make any rational sense. If Fox News host Laura Ingraham were to get a chance at occupying Carlson’s spot, I highly doubt Swain would make the same comments even though it has been shown that affirmative action actually benefits white women more than black Americans.
Jones has worked very hard to get to where he is right now. The notion that he only got this position because of his skin color is one of the most absurd and asinine takes one could make about this development; there is absolutely no evidence showing that this is the case. Jones has been elevated in the network several times over his career because of his hard work. Claiming that he only made it to this level because of his race is, well, racist.
If someone like MSNBC’s Joy Reid or Jemele Hill made this comment, folks on the right would react with outrage – and rightly so. None of us would have any problem calling out the blatant racism in such a take.
I’m not sure what compelled Swain to lash out at Jones. But I am glad to see folks on the right not buying into her ridiculous diatribe. While there are many issues with affirmative action, I think most people can acknowledge that most successful black people are the result of hard work and not some government program.
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