“Morning Joe” panelists on Thursday claimed Republican nominee Donald Trump is returning to the “old playbook of racism” in order to win over more Republican voters on following his hostile interview with the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).
Trump sparred with moderators Rachel Scott of ABC News and Kadia Goba of Semafor over his past remarks on race and gender, particularly relating to Vice President Kamala Harris. The “Morning Joe” panel accused Trump of being racist in order to appeal to his base and have a better chance of winning in the 2024 election.
“I think that now Donald Trump is afraid. I think he is probably losing this election and I think he feels that so now he’s going back to his old playbook of racism that really propelled his campaign back in 2016 when he started talking about Mexicans as racists,” The New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay said. “And this [is] really just birtherism 2.0. It’s clearly offensive, I do believe he went for a confrontation, I think it was a way of saying to his base not just any Republicans, but to the deepest part, the most racist part of that base, don’t worry. We as white Americans, we get to still define race in America.”
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The Morning Joe panel claims Trump’s NABJ interview with “birtherism 2.0” pic.twitter.com/VuWSVx1rF7
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Gay said Trump “thumbed his nose” at “every black person in America” during the interview, referencing his remark saying he did not know Harris was black. The former president said Harris always identified as being Indian, before she “became a black person.”
“Morning Joe” guest Mike Barnicle said Trump is a “badly damaged man” presented his “hate, resentment, [and] fear of the other” during the NABJ. Reverend Al Sharpton argued Trump intentionally attended the event to put black people “in line” and play the same “old song” that he did when he demanded to see former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate. (RELATED: ‘I Think It’s A Disgrace’: Trump Unloads On Reporter At Black Journalist Event For ‘Nasty Question’)
“I think you’re right when you say it’s an old song. But if you have an old singer and you only have one song, you’ve got to sing it and hope the crowd likes oldies but goodies,” Sharpton said. “And that’s what he is doing. He went there to confront black journalists. If those black journalists, some many objected, but if those black journalists though they were gonna do an interview with a presidential candidate who came to woo black voters. They were the ones that were mistaken, he wasn’t mistaken.”
“He knew exactly, if they had opened up with ‘good afternoon, Mr. Trump. were glad to have you. How are your wife and kids? He’d have did the same thing,” Sharpton continued.
Shaprton further said Trump cannot define diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) or any of his policy proposals, which he said could spell bad news as he runs against Harris.
“I mean how long are we gonna keep playing this old song of Donald Trump? Donald, it’s time to get off the stage and let some other folks come on,” Sharpton said.
Gay said Trump delivered “contempt” for the black journalists present at the event, which could develop into a damning problem for him in the general election. Sharpton accused Trump of doubting the black journalists’ abilities to hold a proper and functioning event.
Trump’s attendance at the event sparked outrage among black journalists and public figures, suggesting the interview was an “insult” to the community. Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah stepped down as the NABJ co-chair just hours before the interview took place, and later called the event a “colossal mistake.”
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