CNN’s W Kamau Bell demolishes Trump’s sudden discovery that Lincoln freed the slaves
Appearing on CNN's "New Day" to promote his "United Shades of America" show on the same network, commentator W. Kamau Bell was asked about a little-commented upon portion of President Donald Trump's rambling phone-call into "Fox & Friends" on Thursday morning where the president blurted that Lincoln freed the slaves as if it was news.
Speaking with co-hosts Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota, Bell was shown a clip of Trump speaking to the stunned "Fox & Friends" hosts, with the president responding to whether Republicans have "ignored" the black community.
"You know I think it was just a custom," Trump replied. "People don't realize, if you go back to the Civil War, it was Republicans that did the thing. Lincoln was a Republican. Some how it changed over the years, and I will say I think it is changing back."
"Remember I was going to get no black folks," Trump added about his 2016 election. "Well, I got a lot. I got a lot of support."
Asked to comment, Bell was beside himself with laughter.
"I love when he learned something and he thinks it's the first person to break the news," Bell snarked,. "I 'm surprised Fox News didn't go: 'Breaking news -- Lincoln freed the slaves.' Yeah, we all know that. We all took American civic classes in elementary school. The Republican Party freed the enslaved people. We know about the Southern Strategy and the Dixiecrats, and they crossed over and George Wallace. And now we're here -- we all know this."
"So then you get what is a genuine area of concern," host Cuomo asked. "That the African-American vote that is culturally and customarily bundled with Democrats, right? People will point and say where is the progress in those communities where Democrats are in positions of authority? Why do they get the black vote when the situation for black lives is not better despite their allegiance to that party?"
"Because we have two choices," Bell explained. "We don't have a multiparty system. If we had a multiparty system black people might not want to be with the party. But generally the Democrats work better with the black community."
"It doesn't mean they get an A-plus," he added. "The case is we only have two choices."
You can watch the video below via CNN: