US1 min(s) read
Published 15:06 23 Oct 2020 GMT
Donald Trump claimed to be "the least racist person in the room" during last night's presidential debate against Joe Biden.
In the last televised debate to air before the ballot is cast, the incumbent president denied wholeheartedly that he harbored any prejudiced opinions.
Watch the moment Trump denied any racism in the video below:
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Commenting on his stance on racial equality, Trump stated:
"Nobody has done more for the black community than Donald Trump … with the exception of Abraham Lincoln, possible exception, but with the exception of Abraham Lincoln, nobody has done what I’ve done."
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However, this statement was challenged by debate moderator Kristen Welker, who asked Trump why he had once called the Black Lives Matter movement a "symbol of hate."
Trump replied:
"The first time I ever heard of Black Lives Matter, they were chanting 'Pigs in a blanket,' talking about our police, 'fry them like a bacon,'… I thought it was a terrible thing...
"I am the least racist person in this room."
Per a report by The Daily Mail, Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden was deeply critical of his Republican rival's record on racial issues, even going so far as to call him "one of the most racist presidents we’ve had in modern history."
Biden quipped in his retort: "Abraham Lincoln here is one of the most racist presidents we’ve had in modern history. He pours fuel on every single racist fire.
"He started off his campaign, coming down the escalator saying he was going to get rid of the 'Mexican rapists.'
"He’s banned Muslims because they are Muslim… He has moved around, and made everything worse, across the board."
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Commenting on the Republican candidate's appeal to black voters, Theodore Johnson, an electoral expert at the Brennan Center for Justice told CNN:
"If you're a Republican presidential candidate, you recognize that most black people aren't going to vote for you. But the most likely segment of Black people to vote for you is black men and a particular sort of black man. [sic]"
"If you're a black man and a celebrity or an athlete, that usually means that the money you have is new and that you grew up either poor or working class."
Viewers watching the debate also noticed a painfully awkward exchange between Melania and Donald Trump:
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However, a September Gallup poll reported that only 11% of Black Americans approve of the president.
