'Best in the biz': Black convention moderator's tough Trump grilling earns high praise
ABC News congressional correspondent Rachel Scott earned applause Wednesday for her take-no-prisoners opening question to former President Donald Trump: "Why should Black voters trust you?"
Trump responded to Scott question — prefaced with references to his dinner with a white Supremacists, false accusations that former President Barack Obama was not born in this country, and his descriptions of Black district attorneys as "animals" — with rambling outrage.
"I want to start by addressing the elephant in the room, sir," said Scott. "A lot of people did not think it was appropriate for you to be here today. You have pushed false claims about some of your rivals from Nikki Haley to former President Barack Obama, saying they were not born in the United States, which is not true. You have told four congresswomen of color, who were American citizens, to 'go back form where they came from.' You have used words like 'rabid' and 'animal' to describe black district attorneys.
"You've attacked Black journalists, calling them a 'loser,' saying the questions that they ask are quote 'stupid' and 'racist.' You've had dinner with a white supremacist at your Mar-a-Lago resort.
"So my question sir, now that you are asking Black supporters to vote for you," Scott concluded, "is why should Black voters trust you after you have used language like that?"
As Trump insulted Scott, the National Association of Black Journalists and Vice President Kamala Harris, Scott's followers and colleagues sang her praises.
"Rachel Scott is so respected and asked a good question," wrote the Grio White House correspondent April D. Ryan. "He calls her rude!"
ALSO READ: Trump opens Black journalists conference by calling moderator 'horrible' and 'nasty'
"Y’all get on here now," replied writer Stephanie Rader. "This is Trump and Rachel Scott just asked him a tough tough question and his response insulting her and the event."
"This is already theater!" wrote comedian Garin Flowers. "Great question by Rachel Scott."
"The Trump interview at #NABJ24 is starting about as you'd expect it to," reported political journalist Tom LoBianco, "with the former president trashing Rachel Scott for asking about Trump's history of racism."
"Rachel Scott ... the *best* in the biz," wrote Capitol Hill reporter Pablo Manríquez.
In response to Scott's question, Trump claimed he was “the best president for the Black population since President Lincoln."
The crowd reportedly laughed loudly.