Black GOP strategist called on the carpet by Joy Reid for trying to sidestep Trump's racist rally as 'empowering' voters

An "AM Joy" panel on MSNBC descended into talking over each other as host Joy Reid confronted a black GOP consultant over Donald Trump's racist rally in North Carolina.

Presenting the conservative point of view, Republican strategist Lenny McAllister was asked point-blank by the host, "Lenny, hold on a second, because you as a man of color yourself -- do you feel comfortable in a party that does rallies like that?"

McAllister pushed back saying he had walked away from just those type of events, before admitting, "To the greater point. They're using racism as an avenue through which people feel empowered, they lend you the loyalty, they give you the vote. What Republicans need to do is continue to empower people, but not by using racism and not by using phobia."

The Republican snapped back at host Reid when the subject of school choice coming up, telling her "Hold on, hold on, you asked me the question, let me answer that."

Later in the segment, McCallister sat quietly as columnist Leonard Pitts dismissed his contention that Trump and Republicans are attempting to empower white people, saying they "never lost power."

"I don't know when white Americans became disempowered, so that's an interesting phraseology," Pitts lectured. "This is not about empowering white Americans, this is about appealing to white American fears."

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