Yamiche Alcindor, a correspondent for PBS Newshour, was just trying to do her job on Wednesday during an afternoon press conference when President Trump attempted to scold her. Trump and his administration have a history of
disrespecting Black women, and him calling Alcindor’s question racist is an outrageous way to pander to his base.
“On the campaign trail, you called yourself a nationalist,” Alcindor began. “Some people saw that as emboldening white nationalists now people are also saying ”
Trump cut her off in mid-question.
“I don’t know why you’re saying this. It’s such a racist question,” he said.
Racist
What could be equated as racist is after the deadly Unite the Right white nationalist rally in Charlottesville last year, Trump said there were “fine people on, on both sides;” or the fact that he hasn’t rebuked Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) who’s made
race-baiting, white-nationalist remarks and retweets neo-Nazis; or that Trump called Black NFL players kneeling during the national anthem “sons of b**ches.”
According to an article in
Psychology Today: “While the dog whistles of the past were more subtle, Trump’s are sometimes shockingly direct. There’s no denying that he routinely appeals to bigoted supporters when he calls Muslims ‘dangerous’ and Mexican immigrants ‘rapists’ and ‘murderers,’ often in a blanketed fashion.”
Alcindor attempted to continue her question to Trump, “Some people say now the Republican Party is seen as supporting white nationalists ” she said, before he cut her off, again.
He said he has the “highest poll numbers ever with African Americans.”
Trump hyped the highly questionable Rasmussen poll, going into the midterms, which showed a 40 percent approval rating among Black respondents. Rasmussen consistently
generates more favorable numbers for him than other surveys. An August NAACP poll found that he has a 21 percent approval rating with Black voters.
View a clip of the press conference:
WATCH: ‘That’s such a racist question,’ Trump tells NewsHour’s Yamiche Alcindor
youtu.be
In the same press conference, Trump turned his anger to CNN’s April Ryan, telling her to sit down as she attempted to ask a question. “I didn’t call on you,” he said.
Trump repeatedly tells April Ryan to “sit down” when she tries to ask him a question pic.twitter.com/6Th5pBxQtU
Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 7, 2018
Ryan has been consistently asking the Trump administration questions of concern to the Black community. During a news conference in 2017, former White House press secretary Sean Spicer accused Ryan of having a biased agenda. Spicer told her, at one point, to “stop shaking your head” as he was answering her question.
Ryan re-tweeted Alcindor’s tweet explaining why she asked Trump the question:
I’ve personally interviewed white nationalists who say they are more excited by President Trump than other presidents in the past. Even if President Trump doesn’t intend it, some see him as directly appealing to racists.
https://t.co/nqJAmMs63y
Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche)
November 7, 2018
Twitter users came to both Ryan and Alcindor’s defense:
How many times has Trump gone after African American women His sexist, racist behavior continued today when he attacked @AprilDRyan. Then he has the gall to call another question racist Does he know the definition of racist Clearly not.
Bill Press (@bpshow) November 7, 2018
