CLEVELAND — Republicans opened the third night of their convention with an aggressive defense of law enforcement, as the nation faced renewed tensions following the police shooting of a Black man in Wisconsin that has sparked three nights of protests in a state that could decide the fall election.
Ahead of the third night of the virtual Republican National Convention, 3News Anchor Russ Mitchell spoke with Pastor Scott about what President Trump needs to say to attract more Black voters, and what the president has done for the African-American community.
Local pastor Dr. Darrell Scott of the New Spirit Revival Center in Cleveland Heights has had a friendship with President Donald Trump for the better part of a decade. Pastor Scott is also the co-founder of the National Diversity Coalition for President Trump.
An expert from their conversation can be found below:
Pastor Scott: I think the messaging President Trump has to do is just repeat and reiterate the accomplishments he already has. Criminal justice reform, prison reform, historic funding for HBUCs, opportunity zones, and then let the Black community know that there are some other major initiatives that we’re working on that are going to be very, very positive for the community. I would love to announce them tonight, but we’re dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s, I don’t want to announce before the White House does.
Russ: President Trump has said that he thinks he has done more for the African-American community than any president since maybe Abraham Lincoln. Do you agree with that?
Pastor Scott: Yes, I do agree with that, I’ve said it, and it generated a large degree of controversy when I said he’s been the most pro-Black president in my lifetime. I was born during Eisenhower’s administration. But I qualified that when I used the word ‘pro.’ When I used the word ‘pro,’ I meant pro in the sense of proactive. He’s been proactive towards the Black community rather than reactive. The major things that we’ve seen accomplished for the Black community have been reactionary measures to social upheaval. Whereas he comes along, he’s been doing proactive measures. Opportunity zones, proactive. Criminal justice reform, proactive. The prison reform, proactive. HBCU funding, proactive. They’re not the result of social upheaval and social pressure. These were initiatives that he had, that he’s endeavored to do simply because they needed to be done.