Cogito Ergo Non Serviam
Trump Attacks Black Journalists
Yesterday, the National Association of Black Journalists held a press event with Donald Trump. Why they would invite him and why he would accept are legitimate points to ponder. In the way the interview went, it is clear that the NABJ wanted to have the Republican presidential nominee come and answer questions. It is a good booking on paper. For his part, Mr. Trump had an opportunity to engage with a group of voters with whom he has problems. Instead, he decided to attack his hosts and the audience so as to make his base happy. In doing so, he probably lost some centrists voters. It was a dreadful encounter.
Politico.com wrote,
"First of all, I don’t think I've ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner, a first question. You don't even say 'hello, how are you.' Are you with ABC, because I think they're a fake news network, a terrible network," Trump told Scott in response to the question "Why should Black voters trust you" given his past rhetoric about them.
He called Scott's question "nasty" and said she had asked it "in a hostile manner." In 2018, then-NABJ President Sarah Glover slammed Trump for "verbally abusing journalists," calling his comments toward April Ryan, Abby Phillip and Yamiche Alcindor -- which used similar language -- "appalling" and "irresponsible."
"It"s probably the most unusual presidential interview I've ever seen," said Terry Marsh, an assistant professor of media at Norfolk State University. "He seemed to avoid answering questions that are important to this group of people. His motive was just to explain his agenda. I'm confused why he came."
The fact of the matter is that the withdrawal of Joe Biden from the presidential race in favor of Kamala Harris has left the Republican nominee confused and unable to execute any sort of plan. The Trump approach is never to engage in policy debates with honest facts and decent logic to prove points. It is to attack the opposition on a personal level.
In fact, Mr. Trump went so far as to question whether Kamala Harris is black. “She was always of Indian heritage and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she turned Black, and now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”
The vice president is of both backgrounds. One parent was of African descent and the other was of Indian ethnicity. Mr. Trump is in the same boat. The family on his father's side are German, and on mother's side, they are Scottish. The question is not whether he is Scottish or German. It is when did he turn orange? Is he so ashamed of being white?
In 2016, this approach might have done Mr. Trump some good. Going to this event and being an insulting wanker would have had the far right in stitches. Eight years on, the audience is growing bored with the act.
This is what the Biden campaign was waiting for, and the clock ran out before the president could benefit from Mr. Trump being out in public. He has shown himself to be out of step with America, and the tricks from a decade ago will not work.
Mr. Trump is now losing this election, and it is clear he knows it. He does not have an attack angle on Ms. Harris yet, and that means he will flail about as he has done for the last week or so. That is going to make him look inept and foolish. The difference between 2016 and today is that the audience no longer finds that amusing. He is playing to an ever-shrinking base.
© Copyright 2024 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
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