Steve Bannon isn't too popular in the black community, but he tried his hand at reaching out during a Black Americans for a Better Future luncheon on this week, the Huffington Post reports. Black Americans for a Better Future is a Republican committee made up of black business people.
According to HuffPo, the former White House adviser and current Breitbart News chairman was welcomed warmly as he discussed the “destruction of the black and Hispanic working class."
“Economic nationalism does not care about your color, your race, your ethnicity,” said Bannon, in remarks that mirror those he made during a meeting with black business leaders about a month ago. “It doesn’t care about your religion, it doesn’t care about your gender, it doesn’t care about your sexual preference.”
Bannon also temporarily cast himself as a person color of non-Asian descent, saying "our kids are no dumber" than "Asian kids" who according to Bannon "are paying full freight" at universities while "black and Hispanic kids can't get in there."
Bannon continued to make statements that appeared to pit people of color against each other, bringing up the topic of immigration. “Illegal immigration and trade deals are two sides of the same coin,” said Bannon. “It suppresses the wages of workers.”
Bannon also showed his support for President Trump and U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, who also recently tried to win over to the black community.
“This country needs somebody to fight for them. I fought for Trump and I’ve fought for Judge Moore,” Bannon said.
“We backed off the Republican establishment,” Bannon continued. “Whether it’s Jones or Moore, at least we’ve got it sorted that Republicans are backing a Republican candidate.”
The remarks drew wide support from attendees, many of whom weren't afraid to go on record saying they support Moore despite numerous claims of child abuse, sexual harassment and pedophilia.
Harry Alford, co-founder, president and CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, even went so far as to compare himself to Moore after Bannon's speech.
“A lot of women have come forward and accused me of doing things!” Alford said. “Half of them are true!”
What didn't go over as well were complaints about the lack of black people in senior Trump administration posts.
Bannon responded to a question about that by saying it was “inexcusable," before he moved on.
Pro-Moore sentiment, anti-Asian American rhetoric and illegal immigration! We'll see what else comes from the Bannon "black tour!"
