Fox News host Harris Faulkner, who is Black, suggested on Tuesday that her "tan" prevents her from understanding President-elect Joe Biden's diverse cabinet nominations.
Faulkner made the remarks during a Fox News panel discussion about two of Biden's "radical" cabinet picks, who happen not to be white.
Left-leaning commentator Leslie Marshall noted that Republicans could turn off minority voters by opposing Xavier Becerra as secretary of Health and Human Services and Lloyd Austin as secretary of Defense.
" Joe Biden is trying to assemble a very diverse cabinet and you have the Congressional Hispanic Caucus for Latinos, you have the Congressional Black Caucus pushing him -- Joe Biden, that is -- for African-Americans," Marshall said. "And the GOP will be sitting there vetting the first Hispanic for this position in Becerra and the first African-American in Austin for this position."
"Wait, wait, wait," Faulkner interrupted. "Hold on a second. Are you saying that criticism shouldn't come and a fair fight over what you think is right or wrong shouldn't come because of a person's color of skin?"
"No," Marshall disagreed.
"That's what it sounded like," Faulkner argued.
"What I'm saying is if Republican shoot down every single minority that is put forth for high level positions where there's never been a minority before it could be perceived very badly," Marshall replied.
"Put more minorities up, put more best people for the job up," Faulkner remarked. "No matter what they look like. You can diversify without stopping the fight over what is best for the nation. You can do both."
Co-host Kennedy Montgomery suggested that Biden had nominated Becerra "because he checks a box" with the color of his skin.
"If it were the box about what the job were going to be, that would be the correct one," Faulkner mused.
"It is not that box," Montgomery said.
"I seem to be stuck on this square," Faulkner concluded. "Maybe it's my tan."
Watch the video below from Fox News.
