How could a black man possibly advance the interests of black people if he’s a Republican? Such was the sum of questioning newly elected South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott received on Thursday morning from MSNBC talkingheads. Host Thomas Roberts said, “You said you’re concerned about kids that are growing up in the wrong zip code and, like yourself, had a tough start on the way out. But if we look at agencies that are following some of your voting records, they have concern. And the NAACP has given you an ‘F’ on their annual scorecard.” Roberts went on to list a litany of leftist agenda items Scott opposed and asked, “How do you respond to that?” Scott’s answer was pure gold. “Let’s just ask ourselves, if we look back over history when Congress was controlled by the Democrats for 40 consecutive years, if we look at the result of that control, what has happened in black America? We saw greater poverty,” the senator said. “The policies of the Left have not worked. … [G]overnment is not the answer for progress.” Rather, he said, it’s thanks to “a good education” and “a strong work ethic.” He concluded, “The key … is individual freedom and economic opportunity.” Bingo. Liberty is colorblind, and that’s a message Republicans need to hammer home.

Meanwhile, Rep. James Clyburn, also of South Carolina, has served as the Democrats’ point man on racist accusations. He dismissed Scott’s election win, saying, “If you call progress electing a person with the pigmentation that he has, who votes against the interest and aspirations of 95 percent of the black people in South Carolina, then I guess that’s progress.” He’s doing his party’s mascot – the jackass – proud.