On Saturday morning, CNN news anchor, Victor Blackwell took to New Day‘s weekend edition to rebuke President Trump’s discordant remarks about the “disgusting, rodent infested” Baltimore while slamming Democratic rival, U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings. Giving a tearful defense of his hometown following Trump’s attack of the city in a series of tweets and claiming “no human would want to live there,” Blackwell got choked up during the emotional morning news segment, reiterating how “words matter.”
Drop everything you’re doing and watch this….
cc: @VictorBlackwell pic.twitter.com/N9ZWttHSzd
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) July 27, 2019
Blackwell started his argument in the viral video that has now raked in more than 4.9 million views, by revealing how the former reality star turned president has tweeted “more than 43,000 times” and continues to insult “thousands of people,” over the years — mainly “different types of people.” However, as the Maryland native adds, when Trump tweets about fellow Americans of color, it’s somehow always about “infestation, it’s about black and brown people.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
“The president says about congressman Cummings’ district that no human would want to live there. You know who did, Mr. President? I did. From the day I was brought home from the hospital, to the day I left for college and a lot of people I care about still do,” Blackwell said, holding back tears during the live moment. “There are challenges, no doubt. But people are proud of their community. I don’t want to sound self-righteous, but people get up and go to work there, they care for their families there, they love their children who pledge allegiance to the flag just like people who live in districts of congressmen who support you, sir. They are Americans too.”
Trump’s tweet drew backlash from a number of congress members, along with the Mayor of Baltimore, Bernard C. “Jack” Young, who called out the president as a “disappointment to the people of Baltimore, our country, and to the world.”
Thousands took to Twitter to express their support toward Blackwell’s argument and the more than 600,000 people of Baltimore, whose city has been a victim of socioeconomic inequality and conditions over the years with its growing gulf between the “haves” and “have nots” that include a combustible blend of poverty and crime.
To folks who are asking whether Trump also calls white areas “infested,” here’s what a search of his account shows:
3 uses against black lawmakers (Lewis, Cummings)
1 use against Omar/Tlaib/AOC/Pressley (“go back”)
1 against sanctuary cities
1 against Africa (Ebola)That’s it.
— Will Saletan (@saletan) July 27, 2019
That nauseating, emotional mixture of sick sadness and boiling rage.
— feminist next door (@emrazz) July 27, 2019
I come as One, I stand as Ten Thousand ~ Maya Angelou. #WeAreBaltimore @AprilDRyan
— Marian Anderson (@HauteTravels) July 27, 2019
I felt @VictorBlackwell rage/sadness. Trying very hard 2 hold back the tears, as he tasted the unsavory words about the place he grew🆙 & coming fr a man who sits in the WH.@HouseGOP @GOPLeader @SteveScalise were on Trump’s wagon when he went after 4 @HouseDemocrats; What now?
— 💫Patsy💥Dryden ☘️🌊🌹 (@Patta47cake) July 27, 2019
Amen. @realDonaldTrump, WHO is insulting America? YOU are.
— Ruby Dragonfly (@ruby_dragonfly) July 28, 2019
WHO has repeatedly insulted America, it’s cities & it’s citizens? YOU have.
Is it a coincidence that it’s almost always people of color YOU insult? NO.
You are supposed to be the President of all citizens
#WEAREBALTIMORE and there’s a block party today on my southside street. This is a city of good Americans who deserve more than a grifting, hollow and self-absorbed failure of a man as their president. @realDonaldTrump is a permanent stain on our land. pic.twitter.com/sQAeE7pC1p
— David Simon (@AoDespair) July 28, 2019
The hashtag, #WeAreBaltimore as a resistance to Trump’s rhetoric trended for hours and continues to rack up support with many expressing their upset toward the Commander-in-Chief, who has been in the news as of lately for his attacks on four, American congresswomen of color.
On Saturday, The Hill reports that The Baltimore Sun editorial board ripped into Trump, touting him the “most dishonest man to ever occupy the Oval Office” with a scorching editorial, disclosing how it’s “better to have some vermin living in your neighborhood than to be one.”
Trump has not commented on the hashtag or Blackwell’s speech, but did have a message for Rep. Cummings.
Photo credit: CNN / New Day Saturday
