President Donald Trump participated in an interview with the
National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) as part of his
presidential campaign. It is commendable that President Trump attended in
person, especially since Vice President Kamala Harris did not. I, along
with other Republicans, applaud his presence.
However, I was taken aback by the tone of the first question posed by ABC
News’s senior congressional correspondent, Rachel Scott, considering
President Trump's status as a former President. While an assertive
interview was expected, I agree with President Trump that a bit of decorum
and pleasantries at the outset would have been appropriate.
Regarding the "black jobs" comment, President Trump clarified that he was
referring to black employment rates in layman's terms. Missteps in phrasing
aside, he addressed the substance of the issue clearly.
On the other hand,
questions about Vice President Harris's ethnic identity remain pertinent.
President Trump rightly noted that referring to her solely as Black, when
she has Caribbean and South Asian heritage, can be misleading and appears
to pander to the African American vote.