The Daily Show explains why Donald Trump's visit to a black church was really for white people

Trevor Noah dissects Donald Trump&#039;s visit to a black church

(Image credit: The Daily Show)

published 7 September 2016

Donald Trump has somewhere close to 0 percent support among African-Americans. "So basically, Donald Trump's people told him he needed to reach out to the black community, and that means he basically has three choices," Trevor Noah said on Tuesday's Daily Show: "He either goes to barber shops, Tyler Perry movies, or black churches. But he's not going to go to Tyler Perry movies, because, I mean, Medea's a 2; he's not going to go to a barber shop because they'd hook him up, you know. His only remaining option is church."

Trump did go to a black church in Detroit on Saturday, and along with arrhythmically swaying to the music (not with the music, Noah insisted), Trump read a speech he said he wrote and claimed came from his heart. "For someone who claims he wrote the speech, he seems genuinely surprised at the information contained in his speech," he said, then turned to "Senior Campaign Correspondent" Ray Wood Jr.

"I feel bad for every member of that congregation," Wood said. "Think about it: You go to church every Sunday, praying to God to keep Trump out of your life, only to show up one morning and see him in the pulpit. Trump is turning good church folk into atheists. I can tell you, people were not happy about this." When Noah protested that Trump was greeted warmly, Wood said the church was half empty. "Do you know how hard it is to not fill a black church? Black people stop at church on the way to church." Noah protested, "You should at least give credit to Trump for trying to appeal to black voters." Wood disagreed: "No, that's not why he's there. Trump is just trying to convince white voters that he's not racist so that they feel better voting for him." To hear the entire argument, watch below. Peter Weber

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.