A heated exchange broke out on CNN when Trump-supporting radio host Shelley Wynter challenged the network’s narrative regarding Black voters, leaving panelists stunned and derailing the conversation. During a discussion about Donald Trump’s appeal to Black and Latino voters compared to previous Republican candidates, Wynter criticized the media’s portrayal of these communities’ political affiliations, prompting strong reactions from CNN’s Sara Sidner and other panel members.
The conversation revolved around Trump’s remarks during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania, where he stated that blacks and Hispanics who vote for Kamala Harris need to “have their head examined” because they’re “being screwed.” This blunt comment was meant to underscore Trump’s belief that minority communities are being exploited by Democratic policies. (See video below)
Host Sidner opened the segment by highlighting Trump’s increasing support among Black and Latino voters, demographics where Republicans have historically struggled. She asked Wynter about Trump’s intentions behind his comments. Wynter’s response quickly escalated the conversation into a tense confrontation. He defended Trump’s statement, arguing that the working-class communities Trump was referencing are indeed suffering from higher costs of living under current Democratic leadership. “First of all, how is he denigrating voters?” Wynter asked. “They’re paying higher prices. They’re working class. The ones that he’s talking about, lower middle class. They’re paying more for food, they’re paying more for gas, and they’re being taken advantage of!”
Sidner attempted to push back, questioning Wynter’s use of language like “having their head examined,” which she suggested was offensive. However, Wynter quickly countered by noting that former President Barack Obama had made similarly blunt remarks towards Black voters, asserting that this type of language isn’t exclusive to Trump. He further escalated his critique by referencing Malcolm X, drawing a stark analogy between Trump supporters and what he characterized as “house” and “field” African Americans.
“This race is between house African Americans and field African Americans. And the field African Americans are going for Donald Trump,” Wynter declared. “I’m talking about your men who build things, your men who work with their hands, your men who do things. Not the men who push paper or the men who are connected to power and want to continue to be connected to power.”
This sparked a backlash from both Sidner and fellow panelist Michael Blake, a Democratic strategist. Blake interrupted Wynter, accusing him of disparaging Black professionals in white-collar jobs. “Are you denigrating African American men who are professionals, who work in white-collar jobs? Is that what I’m hearing from you?” Sidner asked, visibly frustrated with Wynter’s line of argument.
Wynter, however, stood his ground, clarifying that his comments were not meant to insult anyone but rather to highlight the divide between working-class individuals who support Trump and those who align with the Democratic Party. “I’m not denigrating anybody,” Wynter insisted. “The men who get up every day and make things happen with their hands, they build things… these men are going for Trump.”
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