Rich Lowry Clarifies Misstep Amid Social Media Backlash and Defends Against Claims of Inappropriate Language
Rich Lowry, the editor-in-chief of the National Review, has found himself at the center of controversy following an appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show. During the interview, a clip began circulating on social media where Lowry appeared to stumble over his words while discussing Haitian migrants. Critics have alleged that Lowry used a racial slur before correcting himself.
The incident occurred while Lowry was addressing claims about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio. He said, “They’ve only found two Springfield residents calling to complain about Haitian migrants taking geese from ponds.” However, some viewers interpreted his words as a slip where he might have used a racial slur instead of “migrants.”
The clip quickly garnered attention online, sparking debates and criticism. X user @peltzmadeline, who shared the video, suggested that Lowry’s apparent slip-up implied the use of offensive language.
In response, Andrew McCarthy, a colleague of Lowry’s at National Review, defended him, attributing the incident to a simple mispronunciation rather than any intended racial slur. “Ridiculous,” McCarthy wrote on X, “@richlowry obviously got crossed up between ‘immigrants’ and ‘migrants’ — started mispronouncing ‘migrants’ with a short i; instantly corrected himself with no embarrassment because it was patently a mispronunciation.”
Lowry himself supported this explanation, tweeting, “I began to mispronounce the word ‘migrants’ and caught myself halfway through.” He emphasized that the perceived misstep was an innocent verbal error, not a reflection of his views or intentions.
Megyn Kelly, the host of the show, also came to Lowry’s defense. In a tweet, she denounced the accusations, asserting that the claims were unfounded and reflecting poorly on those who made them. “This is so disgusting and obviously leveled by someone that doesn’t know @RichLowry at all,” she wrote. “A finer, more gracious man of good character you will never meet.”
The controversy arises against the backdrop of heightened political tensions involving Haitian migrants, further fueled by former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of unfounded conspiracy theories about them. The debate highlights the broader issues of political discourse and the scrutiny faced by public figures.
As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how the ongoing discussion will impact Lowry’s reputation and the broader dialogue surrounding immigration and media representation.
