Keith Boykin: The Blackest confirmation hearing

Keith Boykin This article originally published on Word In Black.& I’ve watched several of the confirmation hearings for Trump’s cabinet nominees, but the hearing for “the Black job” was the Blackest yet— and perhaps also the most revealing about the next four years. Scott Turner,& the only Black person& Trump has nominated for his cabinet, is almost certain to be confirmed for “the Black job.”& You know the job.& It’s the same job that Ben Carson, Alphonso Jackson, and Samuel Pierce had. It’s the one job that& Republicans love to give& to a Black person: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Turner’s hearing on Thursday was polite and non-confrontational, especially compared to the hostility from Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi and the incompetence of Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth. Based solely on his decorum at the hearing, Turner actually seems to be a nice guy, and just like& Herschel Walker, Trump’s pick for the non-cabinet position to be ambassador to the Bahamas, Turner is a former professional football player.& But it’s clear to me that Turner is in over his head—not so much in terms of ability but in his lack of resilience to withstand the pressure from his Republican...