On the show, Hill dismissed celebrities like Steve Harvey appearing with Trump as a case of being used by the President-Elect. LeVell responded to Hill that “You weren’t even there . . . Pastor Darryl Scott, Mike Cohen, they are in the process of bringing all types of people from all over the country, from all different backgrounds. Remember the diversity coalition where we reached out to all different types of people?”
That is when the Hill made his most controversial statement: “Yeah, it was a bunch of mediocre Negroes being dragged in front of TV as a photo-op for Donald Trump’s exploitative campaign against black people. And you are an example of that.” Hill, however, later added, “I’m not name-calling.”
Trump is not the first president to cultivate celebrities. Indeed, both President Obama and Hillary Clinton relied heavily on Hollywood supporters in their campaigns. To dismiss these individuals as “mediocre Negroes” is highly troubling but it is part of the identity politics that has taken over our political dialogue.
There has been no response from CNN to the controversy.
