Barack Obama bashed Republican presidential hopefuls Nikki Haley’s and Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-SC) perspectives on race relations.

Obama told Democratic strategist David Axelrod that “there’s a long history of African-American or other minority candidates within the Republican Party who will validate America and say, ‘Everything’s great, and we can make it.’”

He added: “Nikki Haley I think has a similar approach.”

Obama’s comments were prompted by an assessment from Axelrod that Republicans like Scott espouse “half” of Obama’s view on race relations — the part about the progress being made.

However, Axelrod claimed the Republicans postulate that racial strife is “part of the past and we don’t need to worry about it so much.”

Haley fired back at Obama, accusing him of trafficking in victimhood politics.

“Barack Obama set minorities back by singling them out as victims instead of empowering them. In America, hard work and personal responsibility matter. My parents didn’t raise me to think that I would forever be a victim. They raised me to know that I was responsible for my success,” Haley said in a statement to the New York Post.

Obama made sure to underscore that he hasn’t “spent a lot of time studying Tim Scott’s speeches.”

“I’m not being cynical about Tim Scott individually, but I am maybe suggesting the rhetoric of ‘Can’t we all get along,’” Obama added.

“That has to be undergirded with an honest accounting of our past and our present.”

Scott hit back at Obama during an interview with conservative radio host Mark Levin. The senator argued that Obama fumbled an opportunity to bring the country together on race relations.

“Mark, he missed a softball moving at slow speed with a big bat,” Scott said.

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