Republican challenger Bill Weld calls Trump a 'raging racist' at NAACP convention

(Image credit: AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Bill Weld, the former governor of Massachusetts and President Trump's lone Republican challenger for the party's presidential nomination, made sure his presence was felt at the NAACP's Presidential Candidate's Forum in Detroit on Wednesday.

Weld wasted no time attacking Trump. After he walked on to the stage and introduced himself, he called the president a 'raging racist,' and said that's been the case since Trump was involved in the New York real estate business with his father and the two allegedly engaged in discriminatory business practices.

The crowd reacted positively to Weld's all-out blitz, as they did to his quip that voters can tell Trump "you're fired" as he leaves with the White House with his golf clubs in tow. But there were also reportedly members of the audience "streaming out of the hall" when it was his turn to speak.

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As for the Democratic candidates, former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) reportedly received the warmest reception. Biden's standing ovation is notable considering he's run into a bit of trouble recently when it comes to discussion of his civil rights record, which he defended during the forum.

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.