Women’s March co-chair Mallory fails to condemn Farrakhan’s anti-Semitism

JTA — In a tense exchange on “The View,” co-host Meghan McCain on Monday confronted Tamika Mallory about her support of Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader known for his history of virulent anti-Semitic comments.

Mallory’s response could add fuel to accusations that she is too soft on Farrakhan and has not sufficiently condemned anti-Semitism.

“I don’t agree with many of Minister Farrakhan’s statements,” Mallory said in the exchange.

“Specifically about Jewish people?” McCain asked.

“As I said, I don’t agree with many of Minister Farrakhan’s statements,” Mallory responded.

“Do you condemn them?” McCain asked.

“I don’t agree with these statements…” Mallory said.

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan speaking on October 14, 2018, in Michigan. (Twitter screen capture)

“You won’t condemn it,” McCain interjected.

“No, no, to be very clear, it’s not my language, it’s not the way that I speak,” Mallory responded.

Co-host Sunny Hostin had previously asked Mallory about her labeling of Farrakhan as the GOAT, an acronym for the “greatest of all time,” in a Facebook post from 2017.

“I didn’t call him the greatest of all time because of his rhetoric, I called him the greatest of all time because of what he’s done in black communities,” she said to audience applause.

The organizers of the Women’s March, from left to right: Bob Bland, Linda Sarsour, Carmen Perez, and Tamika Mallory, at BET’s Social Awards in Atlanta, February 11, 2018. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET via JTA)

McCain then brought up a recent Tablet magazine article alleging that Mallory and Women’s March co-founder Carmen Perez made anti-Semitic comments at an early Women’s March meeting. Another Women’s March co-founder, Bob Bland, said the sources referenced in the Tablet article “did not tell the truth.”

Bland went further, saying the Women’s March unequivocally condemns anti-Semitism. When McCain asked if she specifically condemns Farrakhan’s remarks about Jews, she said yes — something Mallory failed to do at any point in the interview.