Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi faced strong criticism for sharing an image of her and San Francisco Giants legend Willie McCovey while wishing Willie Mays of the Giants a happy 90th.
A tweet from the speaker’s official Twitter page, accompanied by a picture of McCovey read:
“Happy 90th Birthday to an all-American icon, Willie Mays. A trailblazing, record-breaking baseball player, civil rights leader, and champion for youth sports and well-being, Willie Mays is a civic legend and national treasure. #SayHey90.”
Her tweet was later deleted, but it was already too late, as social media users went on to question whether Pelosi can “tell two Black men apart.”
Former Trump White House press secretary Sean Spicer responded to her tweet by saying:
“Madam Speaker, that’s not Willie Mays.”
Madam Speaker, that’s not Willie Mays cc @SpeakerPelosi pic.twitter.com/q8PUzkChiR
— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) May 8, 2021
Fox News contributor Deneen Borelli wrote sarcastically:
“‘Cause all black people look the same.”
‘Cause all black people look the same @SpeakerPelosi ? 🤷🏾♀️ https://t.co/jPecB5Do8W
— Deneen Borelli (@deneenborelli) May 8, 2021
Conservative author and commentator Dinesh D’Souza asked whether the Speaker of the House thinks “all Blacks look alike.”
Nancy Pelosi shares the wrong photo for sports legend Willie Mays. Does she think all blacks look alike? @SpeakerPelosi pic.twitter.com/kCZ5Iy3OGh
— Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) May 8, 2021
Chuck Woolery also made a tweet saying:
“Can she not tell two Black men apart.”
Can she not tell two black men apart?https://t.co/GRQvSJNDTJ
— Chuck Woolery (@chuckwoolery) May 8, 2021
Pelosi has since posted a corrected tweet with the same wording and a photo of herself beside Mays.
Happy 90th Birthday to an all-American icon, Willie Mays. A trailblazing, record-breaking baseball player, civil rights leader, and champion for youth sports and well-being, Willie Mays is a civic legend and national treasure. #SayHey90https://t.co/KLinpgJ0yL pic.twitter.com/hlpnU4nYpH
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 7, 2021
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