Megyn Kelly Panel Clashes Over Whether Obama’s Race Affects Voter Support

On Wednesday, Megyn Kelly‘s panel discussed a comment President Barack Obama made on the view about his naming affect how voters view him. Discussing the role of race in politics, the panel clashed over whether this was an accurate thing to point out, or whether it was a simply a desperate attempt at diversion.

Kelly kicked off the segment noting Obama’s answer on The View when asked how tight he thinks this election will be. He replied, “When your name is Barack Obama, it’s always tight” — with Joy Behar chiming in, “Hussein.”

In 2008, Monica Crowley said, the election was not close. “He’s trying to go back to what worked for him back then, but the problem for him now,” she said, “is that he has an actual record to run on.” To suggest that the people won’t vote for him because of his race or name, Crowley added, is insulting to the American people, and “bigoted in its own right.”

This is an opportunity to address the role of race in politics, Sally Kohn said. None of us want racial bias to be a factor, she said, but nonetheless race does play a role. Obama will be judged on many things, including his record, Kohn added — but to say he’ll also be judged on his race “is accurate.”

Crowley countered, that the U.S. remains a “merit-based and performance-based society.” She added, “This president has been an abysmal failure.” Kohn shot back by noting that Obama has improved the economy and added jobs, that his record is not completely lacking in that area.

Kohn further noted that had Hillary Clinton become president, we’d be judging her by her gender. But, Kelly noted, Obama had overwhelming support in 2008, and was the same color then. Crowley said the remark was “desperate,” and an attempt to change the subject away from substantial conversation.

The segment ended on a lighter note, recalling the time in 2008 when John McCain referred to Obama as “that one” — and Obama went on to joke about it.

Take a look, via Fox News: