Byron Donalds
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Source: Joe Raedle / Getty
Prominent right-wing figures have been spotted attending the Democratic National Convention, prompting social media users to question their motives.The Democratic National Convention [see NewsOne’s Live Updates] entered its second night on Tuesday (August 20) after a much-watched opening night that closed with President Joe Biden as the final speaker. The energy at the DNC appears to be strong enough to attract certain right-wing figures who have been spotted in the audience and around the United Center where the convention is being held. And many on social media have noticed with puzzlement and derision. The first sighting was of notable far-right figure Charlie Kirk, who was seen in the hallway by 13-year-old content creator Knowa who asked him pointedly, “Why did you say that the Civil Rights bill should be overturned?” Kirk, who was off camera, replied, “I didn’t say that. I said it was a mistake.” He then walked off as Knowa responded, “Why? That’s crazy! I wouldn’t be here!”
The conservative podcaster Matt Walsh was spotted in the DNC audience by Bulwark contributor Joe Petricone, dressed in a “White Dudes For Harris” t-shirt and a blazer with buttons supporting the Democratic Party. Speculation from some online revealed that it might be a stunt that would possibly be included in his upcoming documentary for The Daily Wire entitled Am I Racist? The premise of the film is Walsh who is playing “a bumbling, zealous DEI trainee,” to ensure that “DEI is the next pillar of the woke mind virus that’s about to topple,” according to co-CEO Jeremy Boreing who also serves as executive producer.
Florida Representative Byron Donalds was also seen entering the United Center, which was shared in a post on X, formerly Twitter by University of Houston Student Body President Joshua R. Martin. “FASCIST ALERT!!! Doing my “black job” and exposing @ByronDonalds. Not surprised he’s here, I’d be looking for a new candidate too if mine was getting as cooked as bad as his is,” he wrote, capping it off with a laughing emoji.
The appearances from these supporters of Republican nominee Donald Trump drew some concerned reactions from social media users, while others heavily mocked the three figures. One user wrote, “They want to know what its like to attend a fun convention.” Another user named Coco Diva opined, “It’s strategic. They ARE up to something.”
Check out the responses to the surprise MAGA appearances at the DNC below.
2. 2Strong2Silence
3. brooklyncookie
4. Ms. Jamie
5. NetskiD
6. Alex Jewell
7. Hadley Sheley
8. Aud To The Ley
9. Jeffrey
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Source: Tierney L. Cross / Getty
Congressman Byron Donalds’ attack on Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial identity was debunked in an ABC interview, and social media took note.On Sunday (August 4), Florida Republican congressman Byron Donalds appeared on ABC’s This Week. In the interview with host George Stephanopolous, Donalds dismissed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s attacks on the racial identity of Vice President Kamala Harris at his turbulent appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists. “This is really a phony controversy,” Donalds said. “I don’t really care, most people don’t, but if we’re going to be accurate, when Kamala Harris went into the United States Senate, it was AP that said she was the Indian-American United States senator. It was actually played up a lot,” he continued.
Stephanopoulos fired back: “And you just repeated the slur again. If it doesn’t matter,” Stephanopoulos then asked Donalds, “why do you all keep questioning her identity? She’s always identified as a black woman. She is biracial. She has a Jamaican father and Indian mother. She’s always identified as both. Why are you questioning that?” Donalds, a very loyal ally to Trump claimed it was a hot topic on “social media” before replying: “There are a lot of people who are trying to figure this out, but again, that’s a side issue, not the main issue,” to which Stephanopoulos interjected. “You just did it again. Why do you insist on questioning her racial identity?”
The contentious interview continued with cross-talk from both men, as Donalds repeated his assertion. “Every single time you repeat the slur,” Stephanopoulos countered. “That’s exactly my point. You continue to repeat [Trump’s] slur, but it’s clear you’re not gonna say that’s wrong and you’ve now established that for our audience.” Donalds then abruptly conceded, “Let’s move on.”
The exchange between the two caught the attention of many on social media, with many noting Donalds’ zeal in repeating Trump’s accusations. One individual named A to the Z Amber commented on X, formerly Twitter, “Oh it matters to the American people that the Republican party are a bunch of racists, George is pointing it out and he’s deflecting.” That point was underscored by This Week panelist and former Democratic Party strategist Donna Brazile, who said Trump’s attacks were similar to ones made against former President Barack Obama. “This is an old playbook. America’s tired of this playbook,” she remarked.
Check out more reactions to Donalds’ interview below.
1. BrooklynDad_Defiant
2. Marc Lamont Hill
4. Keith Boykin
5. TrueWordsRSpoken
6. Avonnie
8. TerrenceBD
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Source: Fulton County Jail / Fulton County Sheriff’s Office
Donald Trump’s decision to again tout his mugshot as a reason Black voters will pick him was met with laughter and scorn, especially on social media.Days before his first debate with President Joe Biden, former president and Republican Party nominee Donald Trump held court at a Black Americans For Trump panel discussion convened by Representative Byron Donalds of Florida at Rocky’s, a Black-owned barbershop in Atlanta, Georgia.
Trump, however, was not physically present for the discussion, opting instead to join by telephone. That poor decision was compounded by another as the convicted felon referenced his mugshot taken in Fulton County after being indicted for election interference related to the 2020 presidential race, which he lost. It began in an answer to a question from Marc KD Boyd of the Helping Empower Youth group referencing the infamous photo: “So my question is, what can you do about those Alvin Braggs on your side that have been doing such railroading from the time?”
“Since this has happened — the mugshot — the mugshot is the best ev- it just beat Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra by a lot by the way, beat ’em by a lot,” Trump touted over the phone as Donalds (who hopes to be Trump’s vice presidential pick) sat with Representative Wesley Hunt of Texas. “But that’s the number one mugshot of all time. It’s really an amazing thing. Since it happened, the support among the Black community and the Hispanic community has skyrocketed. It’s been amazing. Really it’s been amazing. It’s been actually very nice to see.” Trump and his campaign team have persisted with the belief that his mug shot has only increased his support among the Black and Latino community since it was taken, adding it to other attempts at outreach including the manufacturing and sale of $400 “Trump sneakers”.
The response to Trump’s words was swift and damning. Cedric Richmond, the former Congressman from Louisiana who’s a senior member of President Biden’s campaign team didn’t mince words during an interview with CNN’s Kasie Hunt. “I think it’s absolute foolishness!”, he said. “But it’s typical Donald Trump. African-American, especially African-American men, do not gravitate to you because you are a convicted felon.” Responses on X, formerly Twitter, were just as sharp. “I wonder how the Black and Hispanic community feels about his promise to give police officers immunity?,” wrote X user CeliaStar99.
Check out some of the reactions to Trump’s latest claims below.
1. BlackKnight10k
2. JustVent6
3. Ron Filipowski
4. Keith Murphy
5. Jim Gray
6. StrictlyChristo
7. TrueWordsRSpoken
8. William A Goldsborough
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Source: The Washington Post / Getty
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) is having a terrible week when it comes to his tryouts to be the running mate of convicted felon and GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump. On two separate networks, CNN and MSNBC, Donalds saw his hypocrisy get called out to his face.
In case you’re unaware, recently while in Philadelphia, Donalds went full Uncle Tom and infamously said that Black people were better off under Jim Crow. That would be the same Jim Crow era where Blacks in Southern states were disenfranchised (read: they couldn’t even vote), routinely lynched for the most minor of offenses and pretty much lived in terror for simply trying to live.
“You see, during Jim Crow, the Black family was together. During Jim Crow, more Black people were not just conservative — Black people have always been conservative-minded — but more Black people voted conservatively,” Donalds said, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
As expected, and after a rebuke from Democrats including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Donalds insisted his words were taken out of context.
Considering his documented tomfoolery, booking Donalds already gets you the side eye, but at least the Black women asking the questions, in this case Joy Reid and Abby Phillip, held his tap dancing feet to the fire.
Let’s start on CNN, where Phillip was first to make Donalds a spokesman for Team Ya Played Yourself. While appearing on CNN’s Newsnight on Wednesday evening (June 5), he conceded that Black people are better off now but insisted that marriage rates were higher for Blacks during Jim Crow, so there’s that. “All I was doing is referring to the time periods when you talk about the historical timelines in America and coinciding with Black families and what their marriage rate in Black families are,” he said.
Yeah, okay, that’s what he meant—#sarcasm. Then Donalds went into suspect GOP talking point mode by claiming Donald Trump’s policies have served Black Americans better than Biden’s, adding, “If you’re actually going to compare economic policies and public policies between the 45th president and 46 president, it’s without question, they were better under the 45th.”
To this, Phillip had to retort. “I’m going to interrupt you on the facts, Congressmen,” she said. “The Black unemployment rate was the lowest in American history under Joe Biden…. The poverty rate for Black people is the lowest under Joe Biden’s [administration]. So you cannot say empirically for Black people that from a financial level things were better under Trump.”
Donalds then started flapping his gums about inflation and wealth that amounted to copping pleas. But the real burn came courtesy of Joy Reid. On Thursday evening (June 6), while on MSNBC’s The Reid Out, Donalds again insisted he was initially misquoted about the Jim Crow comments.
“The stuff that comes up about Jim Crow, and twisting my words saying I was being nostalgic or Jim Crow was good for Black people, that’s all political spin. It’s a lie,” said Donalds. “It’s gaslighting and that’s truly unfortunate.”
Reid then replied with receipts. “Here’s the challenge, Congressman,” she said. “You started out talking about your family, talking about your mom, talking about being raised. And you on your own brought up Jim Crow. In fact, you said Jim Crow three times for emphasis. It wasn’t the media or the Democrats or gaslighters who brought up Jim Crow. It was you. You brought up Jim Crow. So why did you use Jim Crow specifically as your reference? You did that, no one else did that, you did it.”
The conversation continued with Reid pointing out this controversy was Donalds’ own doing, but she saved the real burn for the end of their chat. “Last question, and then I’m going to let you go. One more question,” said Reid. “During Jim Crow, could your family have existed? You are in an interracial marriage. Your wife, and a white conservative activist. Could your family have existed at all during Jim Crow?”
Got ’em.
“No, it could not, and we all know that,” said Donalds. “That’s why I’m blessed to live in America today, as opposed to America during that time. But we cannot ignore the realities of not having fathers in homes. That is important to our Black people today and all people today as we move forward toward a better America.”
Donalds has been getting cooked on social media ever since. You can see for yourself in the gallery. below Be careful, the MAGA cult is foaming at the mouth defending their latest Op of color, respectfully.
15. Also, let’s never forget.
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