Donald Trump just further cemented all the reasons why African-Americans should vote for Hillary Clinton, Congressional Black Caucus members said the day after the first presidential debate.
“This election is a referendum on bigotry,” Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., said on a call with reporters.
Following a week of intense national attention on the clashes between police and protesters in Charlotte after a police shooting of a black man, Trump did not even touch on the “deep-seated issue of race,” Lee said.
“He did not even address that,” she said. “The American people have two options: one who moves the country forward and builds coalitions … and an option that embraces bigotry and lies.”
Trump did answer a debate question on race relations, criticizing Democratic politicians for letting down African-American communities who vote for them.
Donald Trump again insulted, in my opinion, not only the African-American community, but all Americans when he continued … the birther initiative, which is a racist statement its core.
Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y.
“We need law and order in the inner cities, because the people that are most affected by what’s happening are African-American and Hispanic people,” Trump said. “And it’s very unfair to them what our politicians are allowing to happen.”
Clinton, answering the same question, focused on the problem of systemic racism.
“Unfortunately, race still determines too much, often determines where people live, determines what kind of education in their public schools they can get, and, yes, it determines how they’re treated in the criminal justice system,” she said, mentioning the police shootings of black men in Charlotte and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Caucus members also said Tuesday they were angry, but not surprised, that Trump again refused to apologize for questioning President Barack Obama’s birthplace for years.
“Donald Trump again insulted, in my opinion, not only the African-American community, but all Americans when he continued … the birther initiative, which is a racist statement its core,” Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said in a conference call with reporters.
Earlier this month Trump acknowledged that the president was born in the country after years of suggesting he was born in Kenya. However his campaign insisted the Republican nominee had done a “great service” to the country by “bringing closure” to the issue.
And Monday night, Trump said, “I think I did a great job and a great service not only for the country, but even for the president, in getting him to produce his birth certificate.”
“He owes the American people an apology for being the father of that issue in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015,” Meeks said. “And last night his answer clearly indicated he must still believe it because he did not convince anyone that he has dropped the issue.”
The Trump campaign did not respond to request for comment.
Vera Bergengruen: 202-383-6036, @verambergen