There’s been no shortage of racial huffing and puffing about former President Donald J. Trump’s appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists convention this week, an epic showing by the GOP nominee.
By being invited to the event, Trump was able to circumvent the dishonest media filter and speak directly to black reporters who were allowed to make up their minds for themselves, something that is apparently impermissible.
During his appearance, Trump conducted a masterclass on how to handle rude activist reporters with a racial ax to grind when he beautifully shut down a “gotcha” question from moderator Rachel Scott of ABC News about whether Democrat nominee Kamala Harris was a DEI hire.
(Video: Grabien)
“It’s a mess,” former Ohio University journalism professor Justice B. Hill told The Hollywood Reporter. “The whole thing came together in the past couple of days. And I hate things being not transparent. There’s controversy among members — one of the co-chairs of the Chicago convention resigned.”
He was referring to Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah who threw a hissy fit and quit in protest before the Wednesday event which took place in Chicago, the crime-ridden site of the upcoming Democratic National Convention, a “Kamalot” lovefest.
I have decided to step down as co- chair from this year’s #NABJ24 convention in Chicago.
To the journalists interviewing Trump, I wish them the best of luck.
For everyone else, I’m looking forward to meeting and reconnecting with all of you in the Windy City. #nabj
— Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) July 30, 2024
“You don’t surprise members this way. He has never spoken at our convention before. He was invited in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and he refused to come. So, why is he coming now? He’s coming now because he sees some advantage,” groused Hill who used “divisive” as a term to describe the invitation of the 2024 Republican party nominee.
He also bemoaned that none of the three moderators were from the “black press” or “exclusively” black media outlets.
“The black press cannot be marginalized, especially when it comes to issues related to this. This is right down their wheelhouse,” Hill told THR. “So, we can’t have no place at the table, particularly with the organization that’s about blackness and the power of the press.”
“And Chicago certainly has one of the most dynamic black press. Why weren’t they invited? Why wouldn’t they be asked about this before we did anything? You can’t throw this out at the last minute and say it’s a great idea. It is not a great idea,” he added.
“To walk into a room full of Black journalists and attack someone’s ‘blackness’ is another level of disrespect. To anyone who needs a reminder: we can’t change the color of our skin, and we don’t want to,” complained NAACP President Derrick Johnson who heads up the once-venerable civil rights organization that is effectively now just another appendage of the race-obsessed Democratic party.
“Trump came into our home, a Black Press advocacy convention, and insulted us in our face. What is worse he was invited to do this by NABJ leadership,” whined April Ryan, White House correspondent for The Grio, a longtime critic of the former president whom she has suggested is a racist.
Trump came into our home, a Black Press advocacy convention, and insulted us in our face. What is worse he was invited to do this by NABJ leadership. Shame!
— AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) July 31, 2024
But other black journalists expressed a much different viewpoint, one of them Harris Faulkner of Fox News who was one of the moderators.
Harris Faulkner says much of black journo crowd was ‘enjoying’ Trump interview https://t.co/ntCJqN18XF via @BIZPACReview
— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) August 1, 2024
“So what I loved about what you couldn’t see today was how much of that audience was enjoying the moment of hearing from a candidate that they might not always agree with,” Faulkner told Fox News colleague Martha MacCallum live from the event.
“And that is the whole point. That is the growth of journalism to be able to listen and question those things that you may not know about because you don’t often talk to that person or those people. That was the goal here,” she said.
“The NABJ event that I went to the other day was attended by a lot of really great people. The support that they gave me, and are still giving me, is very special. Thank you!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday.
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