Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown calls Trump ‘a racist’ amid Northam controversy – By John Bacon (USA Today) / Feb 3 2019
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who has said he will decide next month on a possible presidential run, on Sunday called President Donald Trump “a racist.”
Brown, speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” had been discussing Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, who admitted wearing blackface as part of a Michael Jackson costume in the 1980s. Brown said Northam should resign.
“I think this country hasn’t dealt well with the issues of race,” Brown said. “I mean, we have a president who’s a racist.”
Pressed by moderator Chuck Todd, Brown linked the Trump real estate empire to housing discrimination. He also noted that Trump repeatedly questioned the legitimacy and the birthplace of President Obama.
“That’s not even counting the policies of this administration,” Brown said. “We now have a government that suppresses the vote.”
Trump has routinely proclaimed himself a champion of minorities, claiming again Sunday that African Americans and Latinos have the highest employment rates in U.S. history. He has issued a proclamation for Black History Month hailing “the vibrant culture, singular accomplishments, and groundbreaking triumphs that we honor and celebrate.”
Last month, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders called Trump a racist while speaking at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day speech in South Carolina. Sanders, defeated by Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primary, has said he is considering another run in 2020.
“In terms of racism, and it gives me no pleasure to say this, we today have a president who is a racist,” Sanders said.
