President Joe Biden has drawn harsh criticism after doubling down on his campaign vow to pick a Black woman as a Supreme Court justice should the opportunity for him to do so would arise. That opportunity came recently upon the announcement of Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement plans.

According to Fox News, former congressman and current Fox News host Trey Gowdy urged the president to consider selecting Breyer’s replacement based on qualifications, instead of only race and gender. 

Gowdy told viewers over the weekend that “there is a difference between picking someone who is supremely qualified and happens to Black, and picking someone because she is Black.”

The South Carolina Republican’s message comes on the heels of a recent poll that revealed a vast majority of Americans would rather Breyer’s replacement be picked based on merit, and not just the color of their skin and/or gender, as Slate noted.

Gowdy’s plea

It was during his Fox News show, Sunday Night in America, that Gowdy elegantly explained why it’s important to pick the most qualified person, who just might happen to be a Black woman anyway.

“Now Joe Biden has promised to make the next Supreme Court Justice a Black female. Americans – including a majority of Democrats – believe Biden should consider all nominees. So why not look for the most qualified candidates, period, Mr. President,” Gowdy said.

He added: “I’m fully convinced some of the names on that list would be Black women. I can think of several right now. One would be Michelle Childs from South Carolina. She can compete no matter the pool of applicants.”

Gowdy went on to heap high praise on Childs, who’s already on Biden’s shortlist, noting her list of accomplishments and professional reputation.

As qualified as Childs might be, it’s saddening that millions of Americans will only remember her as being picked because of Biden’s insistence on playing identity politics, and worse, according to many, a sickening attempt to appease his Black voter base, which has dwindled over the past year.

Biden “sent the wrong message”

“All Biden had to do was say he was going to find the most qualified person for the job, period. That list would have undoubtedly included Black women, and he could have picked one of those Black women,” Gowdy said.

“But he didn’t do that. He wanted to make a political point. He wanted to help himself, and in the process, he sent the wrong message,” he continued.

Only time will tell if Biden heeds Gowdy’s advice, but it’s a long shot, at best, as Democrats like Biden seem to have no issues as far as pandering to a certain segment if it serves them politically.