How about this as a fresh campaign pitch: “I’m indicting you black people.”
Yes, that's Donald Trump, the Donald Trump that was and probably will be – Heaven help me! — The president made a fuss with a recent shockingly insulting speech that could hardly be considered a targeted appeal to black voters.
In a record of political spin, President Trump's energetic and, in many ears, inflammatory speech he gave to the audience at a gala hosted by the Black Conservative Coalition in Columbia, South Carolina, on Friday night. It seemed as if he had reached new heights and depths with his speech.
While campaigning before Tuesday's primary, Trump suggested that black voters didn't support him all that much, despite his 91 felonies (and various other legal troubles). because One of them.
“Black people are on my side right now, because they know what's happening to me is going to happen to them,” Trump said of his various charges. “Does that make sense?”
Sure, if you think black voters are fundamentally more criminal than the rest of us, you're right.
This is martyr marketing of the most aggressive kind.
The real message here is that Trump sees himself as a victim and a martyr, persecuted when he should have stood up for us little people, and we We should put him back in the White House because he's done everything for us black people. fork.
Behold, Trump is a con artist pitchman. He operates in the tradition of his show Medicine, traveling by team of trucks, horses, and wagons, peddling his patented “miracle cure” drugs and other products throughout the Wild West. . While at least reviving the spirit of that old shit, and perhaps reviving some of the new profits from the product, President Trump has made plans for potential He boasted about how his souvenirs were being accepted by “America.” The black population is larger than any other group.
“I see black people walking around with pictures of me,” he said. “You know, they make shirts and sell them for $19 each.”
I was expecting him to step out in his recently released $399 gold Trump sneakers, which seem to be designed very much with the hip-hop audience in mind. But it's only February. Please give him time. I'm sure there will be many more marketing opportunities for Trump if he is not convicted of something else.
Come to think of it, maybe it was the same back then.
As expected, President Trump provided no details about the charges he faces, including mishandling classified information, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election, and falsifying business records related to hush money payments to adult film stars. I didn't touch it.
But by refusing to run or hide, Mr. Trump evokes empathy and continues to retain prominent Republican voters in a way that still amazes me, even given the cynical world of American politics.
He was flanked on stage by prominent black Republicans, including former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, Representative Byron Donald of Florida, and, in a speech before Trump's arrival, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina. . They were all bathed in the man's orange glow.
The latest Quinnipiac University poll conducted this month shows President Joe Biden with a 79% lead among black voters, compared to 19% for President Trump. These results were similar to those found in the January poll. However, it is also true that the 19% figure does not mean that there is no support among black people.
Of course, there is still time for President Trump to make many new appeals to black voters.
But I don't expect confessions of sin or expressions of repentance (or both) to be part of a former president's campaign any time soon.
Even more disappointing.
cpage@chicagotribune.com
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