Graham surprised Jackson is black, asks why she has “funny name”

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson was grilled yesterday by South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Graham during her confirmation hearing. Here is a partial transcript of his interrogation.

LG: It says here that your name is Ketanji Brown Jackson. Is that correct?

KBJ: Yes.

LG: Kee-tawn-gee. That’s a funny name.

KBJ: My parents gave me the name Ketanji Onyika, which means “lovely one.” It’s an African name.

LG: African? Are you an African?

KBJ: No, Senator. I am an American. An African American.

LG: You’re black? I didn’t know that. I don’t see race.

KBJ: Yes, I am a black American, Senator.

LG: Wait just a doggone minute––you just told me you were African American. Wait–– are you related to Barack Obama? He was from Kenya, I believe.

KBJ: No, Senator, I’m not.

LG: You gave me two answers, so, which is it, are you a black American or an African American?

KBJ: I believe those terms are synonymous, Sen. Graham. They mean the same thing.

LG: I know what synonymous means. (HE SHUFFLES PAPERS IN FRONT OF HIM) I know lots of big words––heck, I know Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

KBJ: That’s impressive, Senator.

LG: You’re darn tootin’, it’s impressive. Now tell me, Ketanji, why did your parents give you such a funny name, and not a good American name like Karen or Carol?

KBJ: I believe they wanted a girl’s name that reflected our family’s African heritage.

LG: Ketanji is a girl’s name? You mean you’re a girl?

KBJ: Yes, Senator. I am a woman.

LG: I don’t see gender. Thank you for that background.

KBJ: I’m a black American woman.

LG: Tell me if you believe in God, and how strong is your faith? On a scale of one to ten, one being you worship Satan, and ten being you love God with all your heart and you’d French kiss Jesus. Where do you fall on that scale?

KBJ: Senator, I’d rather not answer that question since there’s no religious tests in the Constitution.

LG: So, I see––you believe in the Constitution, but you don’t believe in God, or love Jesus. So you obviously hate America.

KBJ: I never said that Sen. Graham.

LG: (SMILING) Oh. Very clever, Miss Funny Name, I can see you’re a wily one, aren’t you? Okay, we’ll let you go on that one.

(LINDSAY CONTINUED FOR THIRTY MORE MINUTES THROWING SIXTEEN HISSY FITS)

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