By Joyce Vance Civil Discourse By now you’ve probably seen clips from the interview Donald Trump gave on stage at the National Association of Black Journalists conference in Chicago today. It was appalling. The only thing worse than the overt racism that came out of his mouth was his apparent belief that he could get away with it. The amazing Aaron Rupar put together an 11-minute cut of the interview that you might want to watch if you haven’t seen enough already. Trump’s people cut off the interview early, just as Project 2025 was raised as the next topic. On Twitter, Trump supporters tweeted things like, “show me the racist part,” and “I don’t see what’s racist about it.” The rest of America shook its head in disgust. Tonight,
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by Joyce Vance
Civil Discourse
By now you’ve probably seen clips from the interview Donald Trump gave on stage at the National Association of Black Journalists conference in Chicago today. It was appalling. The only thing worse than the overt racism that came out of his mouth was his apparent belief that he could get away with it.
The amazing Aaron Rupar put together an 11-minute cut of the interview that you might want to watch if you haven’t seen enough already. Trump’s people cut off the interview early, just as Project 2025 was raised as the next topic.
On Twitter, Trump supporters tweeted things like, “show me the racist part,” and “I don’t see what’s racist about it.” The rest of America shook its head in disgust.
Tonight, speaking at a Sigma Gamma Rho event in Houston, Vice President Harris called Trump’s comments “divisive and disrespectful” and said “the American people deserve better.”
Earlier in the day, immediately following Trump’s abrupt departure from the stage at NABJ, the Harris campaign was quick to give a long-form response:
“The hostility Donald Trump showed on stage today is the same hostility he has shown throughout his life, throughout his term in office, and throughout his campaign for president as he seeks to regain power and inflict his harmful Project 2025 agenda on the American people.
Trump lobbed personal attacks and insults at Black journalists the same way he did throughout his presidency – while he failed Black families and left the entire country digging out of the ditch he left us in. Donald Trump has already proven he cannot unite America, so he attempts to divide us.
Today’s tirade is simply a taste of the chaos and division that has been a hallmark of Trump’s MAGA rallies this entire campaign. It’s also exactly what the American people will see from across the debate stage as Vice President Harris offers a vision of opportunity and freedom for all Americans. All Donald Trump needs to do is stop playing games and actually show up to the debate on September 10.”
Trump did not try to walk his comments back. He doubled down on social media.
Some folks have argued that Trump should not be given a public platform, that what he says is too vile to expose people to. I understand that, but I disagree and have since the start of his candidacy. People need to understand just how bad he is, and there is no way to understand that like hearing it come out of the man’s mouth. His own words. He can only say “I never said that” and get away with it if people haven’t heard him. Bringing the receipts is important. Hold him accountable for what he says. Whatever else happened today, everyone will see it, and he will not be able to say he treated Kamala Harris with respect.
Trump has repeatedly criticized Democrats for calling him racist. He does not like to hear that and responds by calling other people racist (President Obama, Journalist Yamiche Alcindor, Spike Lee, Senator Elizabeth Warren) or claiming that he did more for Black people than any other president, like reducing unemployment. The truth is important. Trump pretended birtherism directed at President Obama wasn’t racism. He’ll deny being racist, and in fact blame his racism on Kamala Harris as he did today. Don’t let him get away with it. It’s okay to call the racist a racist. In fact, it’s something we’re morally obligated to do. The fact that Trump doesn’t like it makes it all the more important to speak truth to would-be power, especially when the racist wants to be president.
Ultimately, Trump’s own people took him off the stage today. But it’s up to us, the voters, to do that in November. Let’s take him off the stage. The American public, in Kamala Harris’ words, deserves better.
We’re in this together,
Joyce