Ex-Trump official apologizes for telling black pundit 'you're out of your cotton-picking mind'

(Image credit: Darren McCollester/Getty Images)

published 25 June 2018

David Bossie, who once served as President Trump's deputy campaign manager,  apologized on Sunday after appearing on Fox & Friends and telling his fellow panelist, Joel Payne, he was out of his "cotton-picking mind."

Bossie and Payne, who served as an aide to former Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), were on the show discussing comparisons between concentration camps and detention centers where the children of undocumented immigrants are being held. At one point, Bossie told Payne, "You're out of your cotton-picking mind," to which Payne replied, "Cotton-picking mind? Brother let me tell you something, I've got some relatives who picked cotton and I'm not going to sit here and allow you to attack me like that on TV."

The show's host, Ed Henry, later said Bossie's comments were "obviously offensive," and he wanted to "make clear Fox News and this show, myself, we don't agree with that particular phrase." Bossie tweeted his apology, saying, "During a heated segment on Fox & Friends today, I should have chosen my words more carefully and never used the offensive phrase that I did. I apologize to Joel Payne, Fox News, and its viewers." Payne told MSNBC he has accepted Bossie's apology, but felt "demeaned" and struggled to keep his composure. "Unfortunately, that's par for the course for this president and the people who surround him," he said.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox