Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer claims that a Republican told him Harris will win the Presidential election in September, partly because of Trump’s comments about her race. Schumer said GOP lawmakers are “embarrassed” about the recent interview the former President conducted with the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago.
The interview got underway with a question from ABC reporter Rachel Scott, who asked Trump why black people should trust him, given his history of making what many see as racially insensitive remarks. His response was met with audible gasps and even laughter from some in the audience. He accused Scott of treating him disrespectfully and said she worked for “fake news.”
Ms. Scott then proceeded to ask Mr. Trump whether or not he believed Kamala Harris is a “DEI hire,” as several Republicans have suggested. Yet more audience groans followed when Trump responded that Harris used to identify as South Asian but suddenly “became black.” Critics have pointed out that Harris went to a black university, was a member of a black sorority, and was part of a black caucus when she was a Senator.
In subsequent social media posts, Trump doubled down and continued to insist that Harris had only recently begun describing herself as black.
At a recent press conference, Mr. Schumer told reporters that an unnamed “senior Republican” told him, “I guess now you’re going to win the election.”
According to several media reports, other Republicans have also expressed dismay at Trump’s performance in Chicago. A House Republican reportedly said, “It was awful,” while another stated, “That was not a demonstration on how to win over undecided voters.” Former Maryland Governor and current GOP Senate candidate Larry Hogan tweeted his disapproval and said it was “unacceptable and abhorrent” to attack the Vice President on the basis of her race.
Republican Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski added her voice and said the Trump campaign had somewhat gone off the rails. She referred to JD Vance’s infamous remarks that the Democratic Party is led by “childless cat women” and suggested it had gotten worse since then.
Other Republicans to speak out include Senator Steve Daines of Montana, who urged colleagues to focus on politics over race. Senator Josh Hawley said it was “not a great idea” to mention Harris’s race, and Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi said, “I don’t think it was helpful.”
Republican strategist Sarah Longwell said the former President looked old and unable to focus his arguments. She added that it was the worst performance she had ever seen.
Mr. Trump does have defenders, however, including Fox News host Brian Kilmeade, who stated that he did not know Kamala Harris was black either. Nevertheless, he also stated that discussing the Vice President’s race was “not a winning issue.”
Speaking at a rally after the interview, Vice President Harris did not directly address Trump’s comments but described the interview as “the same old show.” She added that “the American people deserve better” than a leader who responds with anger and hostility to a journalist’s questions.
