MSNBC Host Kasie Hunt called segregationist Democrats "Republicans" on Wednesday when referencing Joe Biden's remarks about civility with segregationists in the Senate.
"Still to come, Joe Biden references his relationships with two former Republican colleagues at an event in New York City. The only problem? They were both segregationists," Hunt said, referring to Herman Talmadge and James Eastland, who were both Democratic senators.
Talmadge served as a senator from Georgia from 1957 to 1981, and Eastland as a senator from Mississippi from 1943 to 1978. Talmadge, a critic of the civil rights movement who advocated for closing schools rather than desegregating them, lost his Senate seat to Republican Mack Mattingly in the 1980 election. Eastland, a plantation owner who served as the president pro tempore of the Senate for six years, resigned his seat shortly after losing the 1978 election to Republican Thad Cochran.
Hunt did not correct her comments when she returned from the break.
Biden's comments received blowback from 2020 rivals Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.) and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D.). Booker and de Blasio also went after Biden over Biden's role in the 1994 crime bill.
Later in the day, Hunt tweeted out a correction and said she would make a correction the next day on her show.
"Earlier today, I inaccurately said Sens. James Eastland & Herman Talmadge were Republicans. They were, of course, both Democrats. We regret the error. We’ll make sure to correct it on the show tomorrow, but wanted to correct the record here in the meantime," Hunt tweeted.
Earlier today, I inaccurately said Sens. James Eastland & Herman Talmadge were Republicans. They were, of course, both Democrats. We regret the error. We’ll make sure to correct it on the show tomorrow, but wanted to correct the record here in the meantime.
— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) June 19, 2019
UPDATE 6/20/19: The post was updated to include Hunt's correction.