Al Sharpton ripped by ex-ESPN host Sage Steele for Claudine Gay comments

Rev. Al Sharpton was torn apart by former ESPN host Sage Steele after he defended Claudine Gay, calling Harvard University's president's resignation an “attack” on all black women.

“I wish he was gone,” Steele told Fox News host Jesse Watters, referring to Sharpton.

“Almost every time Al Sharpton speaks, I get angry, because he doesn't say what every single person of color in this country should think, how they should live, how they should live. Because they act like they know how to act and how to vote,” she said.

Steele had expressed anger over the civil rights activist's statement Tuesday. he wrote: “The resignation of a gay president is more than just a person or a single incident. This is an attack on every black woman in this country that cracks the glass ceiling.”

Steele said Gaye is facing criticism not because she is a black woman, but because of her character, how she handled accusations of anti-Semitism and plagiarism on campus.

The former ESPN host admitted he doesn't have “a lot of sympathy” for gay people.

“Do you remember Martin Luther King, Mr. Sharpton?” Steele said during the interview. “I think you're judging me by the content of my character, not the color of my skin. What happened to Claudine Gay? There's something wrong with her character, and that's what happened. This is why she was forced to resign.”

Gay announced Tuesday afternoon that he is stepping down as principal of the Ivy League school. She will remain on the Harvard faculty.

Steele noted that Harvard University, in a letter to the community, condemns the racist attacks gays currently face as “justifiable.”

“Any racist attack is condemnable,” Steele said. “What about Claudine Gay herself, when asked many times?” [Rep.] Elise Stefanik: “Is that wrong? Do you condemn the anti-Semitic comments about the genocide of Jewish students on your campus?'' And she couldn't even answer that. Obviously, she refused to answer it. ”