A CNN panel discussion broke down into a war of words amid a spat between panelists about whether Trump “protects and projects the idea of white supremacy.”
The heated exchange took place on Monday night’s airing of NewsNight with Abby Phillip, which included guests including David Urban, Keith Boykin, Ana Navarro, Brian Stelter and Madison Gesiotto participating in the talk ahead of Tuesday’s presidential debate.
Things took off after Urban, a former Trump strategist, argued that the Republican candidate was in a “dead heat” with support for his campaign despite his “warts” and “flaws.”
“I never really talk about this because it’s not politically correct to say it, but he’s in a dead heat because of white people,” Boykin, a former Democratic aide, shot back. “The majority of white people support Donald Trump.”
He added: “If it were up to Black people or Latinos, Asian-Americans and other people of color, he would lose in a landslide.”
Pandemonium then ensued, with all panelists scrambling to interject over Urban’s counter that Trump is in fact enjoying mounting support from minority ethnic groups before Boykin shot back again, saying that whatever lead Trump may enjoy is solely because he “protects and projects the idea of white supremacy.”
“That’s what’s resonating,” Boykin added. “People are talking about economic anxiety in 2016 and then Trump went off and he led a cavalcade of racism.”
Urban then went on to implore Boykin to “be serious” rather than “crazy” and “delusional,” with Boykin slamming his palm down on the table to insist Trump is “not improving” with Black voters.
Stelter swiftly interjected to note that Trump does in fact appear to have increased his approval ratings among minority ethnic groups since 2016.
He nevertheless then shouted back at Urban that “it’s not just about white dominance, it’s about male dominance.”
“In addition to white dominance, it’s also about preserving the status of men,” Stelter said, rounding off the still-tense discussion. “Men in this society are in a very interesting place right now with what the messaging is from the Trump campaign, and I just think that’s worth interrogating.”
