On a recent episode of ‘Morning Joe,’ Rev. Al Sharpton expressed his frustration over President Joe Biden’s decision to only take questions from white reporters during his NATO Summit press conference. Sharpton found it particularly troubling considering the significant support Biden has received from the black community.
‘It is offensive for Biden to expect black support while leaving them out of the conversation,’ Sharpton stated.
Co-host Willie Geist voiced concerns about the possible implications of this issue on Democrats’ future prospects. He noted, ‘There is deep concern, and I know you’re hearing it too, that Joe Biden could lose it all for Democrats.’
Sharpton acknowledged these concerns but also pointed out that many are worried about what might come if Democrats lose their hold. He shared an anecdote about his recent visit to Milwaukee where he attended a funeral for a black man who hotel guards killed. The locals worried about Wisconsin’s potential loss without Milwaukee and its black voters’ turnout.
‘People there are in an uproar saying to me, you cannot win Wisconsin without Milwaukee and black turnout,’ Sharpton said.
He also touched upon fears regarding attempts to undermine Kamala Harris and emphasized the importance of not taking the coalition of black, Latinos, and labor groups for granted.
Despite these points, Sharpton couldn’t hide his disappointment at the lack of representation among reporters questioning Biden.
‘I looked at the press conference last night and asked, where are the black reporters?’ Sharpton questioned. ‘We’re looking at all whites questioning Biden, and black voters are supposed to get in line?’
Sharpton concluded with a reminder about how instrumental both black and Latino votes were in securing Biden’s nomination. He found their exclusion from these discussions both offensive and elitist.
Co-host Geist added a crucial point, noting that the reporters who were allowed to ask questions were pre-selected by the White House.
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