Trump Campaign Admits That Their Outreach To African-American Voters Is Racist

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign admitted that the Republican nominee’s recent appeals for African-American voters were really all about making Trump look less racist to white voters. In other words, the premise of Trump’s African-American outreach was racist.

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STEPHANOPOULOS: Let’s talk about those comments that Mr. Trump made about the African American community. Here’s part of them this week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What do you have to lose?

Look, what do you have to lose?

You’re living in poverty. Your schools are no good. You have no jobs; 58 percent of your youth is unemployed.

What the hell do you have to lose?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANOPOULOS: As you know — you were just talking about that. But many in the African American community saw that as insulting because they say most African Americans don’t live in poverty and that Mr. Trump was making those comments in communities that are more than 90 percent white.

CONWAY: Those comments are for all Americans. And I live in a white community. I’m white. I was very moved by his comment. In other words, he is trying to tell Americans that we can do better. And the thing that he said that I think got a great deal of resonance is that maybe Hillary Clinton looks at you as voters as your — takes you for granted. I look at you as people.

And you — again, George, if you think 58 percent of unemployment in the African American youth community is a good idea, then absolutely please go vote for Hillary Clinton, everyone.

But he’s saying, you can’t do any worse. We’re the party, he’s the candidate that believes in school choice vouchers and charter schools for African American and Hispanic students and everybody really. But these benefit — I’ve done a lot of work in that space here in New York City. And it’s just remarkable to see the quality education that these students who are fully capable and very intelligent receive through school choice and charters. Hillary Clinton’s against those.

In other words, even Trump’s message to African-Americans is really all about appealing to white people. The subtext of what Conway was saying was don’t worry white nationalists. Donald Trump doesn’t really want the support of black voters. Trump is hoping that more whites will vote for him if he sounds less overtly racist.

Trump’s appeal to African-Americans was based on stereotypes that Republicans have used for decades when discussing black voters. Trump claims that all African-Americans live in inner cities. According to Trump, African-Americans are in poverty and don’t have a job.

Donald Trump is trying to win the White House with only white voters.

It doesn’t get much more racist than the strategy that Donald Trump is using in his presidential campaign.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association