Ben Carson slams Biden for 'abominable' identity politics on SCOTUS pick

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Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announces retirement

Justice Stephen Breyer addresses his decision to retire from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson blasted President Biden on Thursday for making identity politics a factor in his choice for a Supreme Court justice.

Biden said Thursday that he will announce his nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer before the end of February, and that the candidate will be a Black woman.

"You know, this is America," Carson said during an interview on WMAL's "The Vince Coglianese Show," a local radio show in Washington, D.C.

"Many people fought and gave their lives to bring equality. And now we're reverting back to identity politics. And as we continue to do that, we're bringing more division into our country," Carson continued.

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Carson went on to criticize those who claim no racial progress has been made in the United States, saying such claims are "not true."

"You know, when I was a kid, it was a big deal when you saw a Black person on television who wasn't in a servile role," he said. "And now you have Black CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, university presidents, generals, admirals. We've elected a Black president twice. You've got a Black vice president. Come on, to say that we haven't made any progress is silly."

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson speaks to the 2018 Values Voter Summit in Washington, Sept. 21, 2018. (Associated Press)

Acknowledging there is still more room for progress, Carson admonished that "we should build on the good things and on the progress that we've made rather than always harping on what the negatives are."

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Former HUD Secretary Ben Carson addresses the Republican National Convention in a pre-recorded speech at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 26, 2020. (NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images)

Carson also warned about the precedent Biden could be setting by choosing a justice based on race and gender.

"If he can do that, then who else can do it in the future using the criteria that they want, and completely ignoring all the progress that's been made? It makes absolutely no sense, and I hope people will be incensed about it," Carson said, expressing his hope that Biden might change his mind.

President Biden delivers remarks on the retirement of Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, left, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

"We need a Supreme Court where we have the best candidates who understand the Constitution and are not trying to legislate from the bench," he continued, adding that "to create that kind of situation in the highest court in the land is really abominable, and very detrimental to our freedoms."

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When his campaign was faltering during the 2020 Democratic primary in South Carolina, Biden reportedly told Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., he would publicly promise to appoint a Black woman to the high court in exchange for the House majority whip's endorsement.