Sharpton's race claims 'unconstitutional, morally wrong,' Kennedy says: 'To a bear, we all taste like chicken'

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., responds to civil rights activist Al Sharpton picketing in front of billionaire's office over DEI opposition.

After civil rights activist-turned-MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton picketed the New York office of Pershing Square Capital billionaire Bill Ackman on Thursday, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said Sharpton wrongly believes that to ignore race is racist.

Sharpton and his East Harlem, N.Y.-based National Action Network traveled downtown to protest Ackman, with the pundit saying this week that Ackman "declared war on all of us" with his comments about disgraced former Harvard President Claudine Gay and DEI.

Ackman on Wednesday issued an invitation on X, formerly known as Twitter, to meet with Sharpton in-person and encouraged the activist's entourage to pass along the message.

On "Hannity," Kennedy said he's read Sharpton's remarks and believes him to be entitled to his opinion as an American.

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"Here's mine. America is not perfect, but we are good. Like every other civilization, America caught the disease of slavery, but we beat it back and we're proud of that," he said, citing the multiple civil rights acts passed by congress between 1866 and 1964.

"We've made a lot of racial progress in this country. And I think we've reached the point where most – not all, but most – Americans don't think about that much about race. They think about character. They understand, as I've said before, that to a bear, we all taste like chicken."

Kennedy said race should not be used as a cudgel to "harm" someone, claiming Sharpton believes otherwise.

"I think he believes that to disregard race is racist. And that, to me,