Eduard Ribas i Admetlla
Detroit (USA), June 15 (EFE).- In an unusual gesture, the former president of the United States and Republican candidate Donald Trump met this Saturday with voters in an African-American church in the center of Detroit, in the key state of Michigan, instead of the white suburbs where he usually campaigns.
It is proof that the New York tycoon wants to take advantage of the wear and tear of Democrat Joe Biden’s Administration to, in the November 5 elections, fish for votes from the black community, which has traditionally turned its back on him for his racist controversies. like his years of attacks against President Barack Obama.
But among the public, who applauded him several times and sang happy birthday to him for his 78th birthday, there was also a significant group of white followers of the former president who helped fill the capacity, a symptom of the much work that the Republican has ahead of him to conquer a group that votes mostly Democratic.
“Biden is the worst president there has ever been for African Americans,” Trump exclaimed from the altar of Church 180 in Detroit, shielded by two American flags and a large Christian cross.
The Republican reiterated his usual attacks against the Democratic president, whom he accused of having sunk the economy and allowing the entry of irregular migrants who, he said, are criminals and steal jobs from African Americans.
Before leaving for a far-right forum, Trump listened to several members of the community, including African-American pastor Lorenzo Sewell, who thanked him for visiting the neighborhood, something that neither Barack Obama, the first black president of the United States, had ever done. history, nor Biden.
“It’s not about blacks, whites or Asians. It’s about Americans. I am a black woman, but his (Trump’s) values are mine,” Bernadette Smith, who stood in line for several hours to hear the speaker, told EFE. president.
Talking about colors generates “division” and what the country has to do is embrace “the Christian values that made the United States great,” this woman said.
However, on the door of the temple hung a sign with a clear declaration of intent: “African Americans for Trump.”
According to a survey by the Prew Center, the African-American population remains overwhelmingly Democratic, since 78% would vote for Biden compared to 18% who would vote for Trump.
But the margins have been reduced compared to four years ago. Democrats fear that the current president’s low popularity will demobilize the black electorate in cities like Detroit, which could cost them victory in the key state of Michigan, which in 2016 voted for Trump and in 2020 voted for Biden.
Biden himself was just three weeks ago at an event with the African-American community in Detroit where he appealed to the fear of a possible return to power by Trump, whom he considers a threat to democracy due to the 2021 assault on the Capitol.
“I think that in the last four years African Americans have opened their eyes and said, ‘this is not working,'” said Brittney Moxley, dressed in an immaculate white suit and a red cap with the last name Trump.
This Detroit resident pointed out what may be Biden’s great Achilles heel: the pressing inflation of recent years. “My grocery ticket is much more expensive today,” she says.
Many of those who went to see Trump blindly believe his lie that there was electoral fraud in 2020 and that it could be repeated in November.
This is not the case with Damont Bellingeer, who is convinced that the votes will be counted correctly. If this man supports Trump it is because he believes that he can solve the two big problems that, in his opinion, the country has right now: the economy and the crisis on the border, more than 2,700 kilometers from Michigan.
In the access line, Malvin was camouflaged with his red Republican cap and pants, but in a whisper he confessed that he is actually not sure who to vote for.
Looking askance at the rest of the people so that no one hears him, he said that Biden, 81, is “very old” but there are things about Trump that he doesn’t like either and he wants a president who is against discrimination and violence . EFE
er /jmr
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