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Trump’s Successful Showing at the NABJ Conference
Things are not as they appear
When I first saw that Trump appeared at a conference of the National Association of Black Journalists, I immediately knew that whatever I was about to watch or read would require some critical thought. When it comes to Trump and the media, things are rarely as they appear on the surface. The entire event would have to be dissected to get at its essence.
At first glance, what everyone saw was the classic foot-in-mouth performance of an openly racist man pretending to be otherwise. Right from the start, Trump began attacking his hosts, and the news networks, and passing out insults like Halloween candy. The journalists, caught off-guard, scrambled to keep Trump from dominating the interview.
Still, no matter what the journalists asked or how they responded, it was Trump who was in control of the stage. That is the ancillary benefit of having nothing to lose, and in this venue, Trump had nothing to lose.
If Trump’s goal was to win over Black voters, this was a catastrophe. This, however, was not his goal. Trump and his handlers are already keenly aware there is little chance of his gaining Black support, especially now that Kamala Harris is the Democratic nominee. His racist record is long and well-documented. As of this writing, his support among Black voters hovers around 12%, and in a recent Newsweek poll of Black voters conducted in Michigan, Trump received no support whatsoever.
Trump’s goal was instead to throw red meat to his racist base, and what better venue to do it in than at a conference such as this? Here, on a stage with well-known Black journalists, Trump could hurl insults and question the integrity of all those who dared question him. There was little question that Trump held all the cards. While the Black journalists had to maintain their composure and professionalism, no such restraints existed to bind Trump. He was free to say and do as he wished.
He came out of the gate accusing the journalists of treating him poorly and thus painting himself as the victim of a set-up. This victimhood theme always plays well for Trump, whether he is claiming that his victim status results from rigged elections, rigged juries, or conspiracies orchestrated by…
