CNN commentator and Vanderbilt professor Michael Eric Dyson finds himself at the center of a controversy after South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace revealed flirtatious text messages allegedly sent by Dyson, escalating their already fiery feud. The dispute began during an August CNN segment where Dyson accused Mace of racial insensitivity, claiming her repeated mispronunciation of Vice President Kamala Harris’ name reflected "white disregard for the humanity of Black people."
What happened next was unexpected. At a congressional hearing, Mace unveiled screenshots of Dyson's messages, which she entered into the record. These texts, filled with compliments like "gorgeous" and emojis, raised eyebrows, particularly given the heated exchange that had taken place just days prior on national television. Mace sarcastically remarked, "I don’t think he’s that bent out of shape on how anyone pronounces Kamala".
I’m sorry but this is beyond embarrassing for Michael Eric Dyson.
Black men, please stand up. https://t.co/IhhtSkqmV9
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) September 20, 2024
Dyson, who is married, had positioned himself as an outspoken critic of Mace, accusing her of racist behavior during their CNN debate. But the reveal of these messages exposed a stark contrast between his public attacks and private comments. Mace’s exposure of Dyson’s texts suggested a hypocrisy that didn’t sit well with the public, further fueling the backlash against the CNN panelist.
Dyson quickly responded on social media, denying Mace’s claims and escalating the situation further by accusing her of lying and weaponizing “white women’s tears.” In a now-deleted post, Dyson lashed out, labeling Mace a "bigot" and a "racist," comments that only added to the drama and intensified the backlash.
🚨🇺🇸 REP NANCY MACE: MICHAEL ERIC DYSON CALLED ME A RACIST ON CNN, THEN SENT ME TEXT MESSAGES SAYING 'WE LOOK GOOD TOGETHER'
“I would like to also enter into the record a screenshot of a text message I received from the esteemed professor from Vanderbilt, Michael Eric Dyson,… pic.twitter.com/GBSuRUrWBr
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 19, 2024
He argued that his messages were merely a misinterpretation of his intentions, claiming that he was simply being "nice" and that Mace’s actions were an attempt to smear him.
Social media exploded, with many mocking Dyson’s defense while others condemned his behavior. Critics pointed out the double standards in Dyson's behavior, calling out the left-wing commentator for playing the victim card while engaging in inappropriate conduct behind the scenes.
Mace, for her part, doubled down on her stance, continuing to highlight Dyson’s contradictory actions in both interviews and social media posts.
As the feud continued to gain traction online, supporters of Mace cheered her bold move, seeing it as a much-needed exposure of the hypocrisy many believe is rampant among left-wing commentators like Dyson. They argued that Dyson’s meltdown was not just about defending his reputation but about deflecting from his inappropriate behavior, which many saw as an act of desperation.
