Stacey Dash Fires Back at Attackers Over Mitt Romney Endorsement: Do Your Homework

Actress Stacey Dash (CNN)

Less than two days after she was bombarded with hateful messages on Twitter because she publicly endorsed GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, actress Stacey Dash, perhaps best known for her starring role in Clueless, sat down with Piers Morgan on CNN to discuss the fury that ensued following her seemingly innocent tweet.

“Vote for Romney. The only choice for your future. @mittromney @teamromney #mittromney #VOTE #voteromney,” Dash posted on her official Twitter page, along with a photo of herself with an American flag.

Morgan sarcastically introduced Dash on Tuesday as “the most controversial woman in America” because “she had the audacity as a black actress to vote for Mitt Romney.”

“When I read about this, I felt offended for you,” the host added. “I don’t have a horse in this race. I’m British. I can’t vote for anybody. But the idea that you as a black actress would come under such venomous attacks purely because you decided to vote for one of the two candidates is extremely objectionable.”

Dash, who is 47-years-old but looks 20 years younger, explained that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and she merely used her platform to exercise her “First Amendment right as an American citizen” to say who she was voting for.

Stacey Dash Fires Back at Attackers Over Mitt Romney Endorsement: Do Your Homework

Stacey Dash arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar party on Sunday, March 7, 2010, in West Hollywood, Calif. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer)

Surprisingly, Dash actually voted for Barack Obama in 2008 but she has switched her vote because of the current “state of the country.” Dash says she is ready for real change.

“I want the next four years to be different,” she added. “I chose (Romney), not by the color of his skin but by the content of his character.”

Dash said she really doesn’t understand why her tweet caused such an uproar. She said she is “shocked” and “saddened” but not “angry” about the unfair attacks against her, adding the incident shows that we are not united as a nation.

Morgan proceeded to read some of the nasty tweets targeting the actress. “Kill yourself you old hag,” read Morgan, who later called the messages “very disgusting.”

“That’s a little harsh,” Dash agreed.

The actress also revealed that vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan has since reached out to her. She said Ryan told her she is brave and that she has both his support and Romney’s.

“I thought that was just so generous and kind,” she said. The Obama campaign has not reached out to her.

As for other African-Americans who feel personally obligated to vote for Obama because he is black, Dash advised them to do their “homework.”

“Do your homework. Look at your country. Think about the next four years of your life,” she said. “Also, look at Mitt Romney’s track record. As a CEO, he has excelled. As governor of Massachusetts, he did quite well. And listen to what he says — I believe him and I believe he deserves a shot.”

Before ending the interview, Morgan told Dash that he defends her right to “vote for who the hell you like.”

“The idiots who are tweeting you are… clueless,” Morgan said.

Watch the entire interview via CNN:

 

Front page image courtesy of AP.