Governor Baker Says His "Word Choice was Terrible" Regarding Rep. Pressley’s Comments on Race

Governor Charlie Baker sought on WGBH’s Boston Public Radio Thursday to clarify comments he made at Monday’s Martin Luther King breakfast that many construed as disrespectful to Rep. Ayanna Pressley.

During that event, the governor and congresswoman were on stage together taking part in a panel discussion on civil rights before a sold-out audience of 1500 people. Immediately following Pressley’s well received remarks on the importance of black identity, Governor Baker responded, “The only thing I can add to that rant...”

Many in the audience groaned, and the reaction was a lot more pronounced on Twitter. Among the criticisms were comments from Attorney General Maura Healey and Suffolk County District Attorney, Rachael Rollins.

Healey wrote, "@AyannaPressley spoke the truth about racial injustice and the disparities faced by Black women and people of color at the MLK breakfast. It was thoughtful, personal, and anything but a rant. Language like that is dismissive and perpetuates the very harm we seek to end."

And Rollins tweeted, “Here’s a rant for you, Not a single Black Secretary in your cabinet,” and then went on to cite other grievances about the Governor’s record on inclusion and diversity.

“What I find more troubling. At a Martin Luther King Jr. beautiful event, our Congresswoman was stating facts and eloquent as usual and was measured and composed poetic and thoughtful," Rollins said in an interview with WGBH News, "and our governor referenced what she said as a rant, and words matter.”

Governor Baker conceded that his “word choice was terrible.” Recalling the moment, he said after the breakfast he was headed to Springfield when his phone started ringing. “And I heard from a couple of people on my team that the use of the word rant had upset a bunch of people and I called the congresswoman. She called me back and I said ‘I'm very sorry that Istepped on a beautiful moment for you’ and I apologized for the use of the word. I said it was a poor choice of words.”

Pressley accepted his apology, said Baker. But some remain incredulous over the governor’s choice of words, including D.A. Rollin.

“I’m happy that he apologized but c’mon," she siad. "It’s Martin Luther King Day, can you get it right.”