President Trump got here to the talk prepared along with his common wrap on race when requested to clarify his description of “Black Lives Matter”
President Trump got here to the talk prepared along with his common wrap on race when requested to clarify his description of “Black Lives Matter” as an emblem of hate: He claimed he had completed greater than any president since Abraham Lincoln for African-People, and he known as himself the “least racist individual on this room.” (By no means thoughts that the moderator of the talk, Kristen Welker, is a Black lady.)
However he has restricted achievements to again up the ludicrous claims he frequently makes as a part of his stump speech. He usually factors to prison justice reform and his assist for traditionally Black faculties and universities as the dual backbones of his assist for Black People. On Thursday night time, he additionally talked about creating alternative zones.
It’s all been a part of an effort to shave off a couple of factors of Mr. Biden’s assist amongst Black voters. Mr. Trump received simply eight p.c of Black voters in 2016 and his marketing campaign needs to extend his margin by a couple of factors.
Mr. Biden, nonetheless, appeared to take him without warning by mocking the claims. “Abraham Lincoln right here is without doubt one of the most racist presidents we’ve had in trendy historical past,” Mr. Biden mentioned. “He pours gasoline on each single racist hearth.”
Mr. Trump has refused to denounce white supremacists and in latest days even reverted to calling President Barack Obama by his center title, “Hussein,” a callback to the racist birther conspiracy idea that helped launch Mr. Trump into the nationwide political discourse.
Mr. Trump has by no means apologized for spending tens of 1000’s of {dollars} on full-page newspaper adverts calling for the return of the loss of life penalty to punish the Black and Latino youngsters, often called the Central Park 5, who have been wrongfully accused of raping a white lady in Central Park in 1989. As a substitute, he doubled down.
And since taking workplace, he has steadily stoked racial tensions, elevating the voices of white nationalists when he appeared to defend their actions after a lethal confrontation with liberal protesters in Charlottesville, Va.
Onstage, Mr. Biden mentioned, “this man is a canine whistle about as large as a foghorn,” noting that on the earlier debate he had advised the Proud Boys to “stand by.”
“I mentioned not since Abraham Lincoln has anyone completed what I’ve completed for the Black neighborhood,” Mr. Trump mentioned, correcting him. “I didn’t say ‘I’m Abraham Lincoln.’ I mentioned not since Abraham Lincoln has anyone completed what I’ve completed for the Black neighborhood.”
He additionally hit Mr. Biden for supporting the 1994 crime invoice, which “put tens of 1000’s of Black males, principally, in jail.”
Mr. Biden conceded that his assist for that invoice was “a mistake.”