In response to a tweet from Bloomberg News on the Democratic debate this week Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo remarked directly about Sen. Kamala Harris’ exchange with former Vice President Joe Biden that night and she is now taking flack as a result.
“An emerging trend in this debate: Kamala Harris very clearly only wants to debate Joe Biden,” the tweet read. “Every time she’s been challenged by a lower-polling candidate, she takes it back to Biden.”
The note prompted Pompeo to fire off:
Because she’s overconfident and believes he is her only competition https://t.co/HYPRXtoLIr
— Ellen Pompeo (@EllenPompeo) August 1, 2019
The universal sound of many heads whipping around and the uttering of a collective “What?” may have been audible across the country, based on the flood of negative reactions on Twitter that were continuing into Friday.
I know you didn’t just call a black woman running for President overconfident. Sit your ass down.
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) August 1, 2019
Um excuse me…you work for a confident Black woman, and are married to a Black man, with biracial children, you might want to watch how you frame your language about the only Black woman candidate????
— Corey Bu-Shea (@coreybking) August 1, 2019
Why don’t you just say you don’t like Black women seeking more power and go. This passive aggressive racist white ladying is so gross.
— Cory Booker Flavored Koolaid | Protect Mauna Kea (@WolvesforKamala) August 1, 2019
Never said she was unqualified and her race and gender have nothing to do with my comment about her performance and how she spent her time on stage https://t.co/rIgOPvE5Ul
— Ellen Pompeo (@EllenPompeo) August 1, 2019
She also tweeted, “First, I don’t have to tiptoe around when I’m talking about a performance on stage by a candidate… to me, that’s what she is first in this context.. race has nothing to do with her ideas or plans as a candidate.. it informs her plans but I only care about their ideas.”
Pompeo, 49, plays Dr. Meredith Grey on Grey’s Anatomy.