In an incredible move, Donald Trump stuck to the script. When the Republican presidential candidate addressed a mostly black audience for the first time, he left his usual bravado aside, and in contrast to his usual, rambling speeches, he read from his prepared remarks for all of 12 minutes. His message was largely focused on unity and how to improve the economic situation of the black community in Detroit. “I just wrote this the other day, knowing I’d be here,” Trump said, “and I mean it from the heart and I’d like to just read it and I think you’ll understand it maybe better than I do in certain ways.”
Trump said that he was there to “listen to your message” and said he hoped his presence would “also help your voice to reach new audiences in our country.” He called for a “civil rights agenda of our time,” noting he was well aware that black Americans have “suffered from discrimination and there are many wrongs that should be made right.” The carefully crafted message often appeared to be from an entirely different candidate than what we’ve seen throughout the campaign. “Our nation is too divided. We talk past each other, not to each other, and those who seek office do not do enough to step into the community and learn what is going on,” Trump said. After he was done speaking, church pastor Bishop Wayne Jackson draped a prayer shawl over Trump’s shoulders.
Outside, lots of angry protesters gathered and chanted, “What do you have to lose? Everything,” in what was a clear reference to Trump’s recent comments that black voters had nothing to lose by taking a chance and voting for him.
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The presidential candidate went to the Great Faith Ministries with former Apprentice contestant Omarosa Minugalt and former primary challenger Dr. Ben Carson, who is from Detroit. At one point, he even swayed to gospel music.
Hillary Clinton supporters immediately dismissed the whole campaign event as nothing short of a con. “Donald Trump’s visit to Detroit is tantamount to a wolf visiting a sheep farm to lead a discussion on Let Me Be Your Leader To Greener Pastures,” said Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit chapter of the NAACP, in a statement released by the Clinton campaign.
