Geraldo Rivera brands Trump a 'civil rights activist' in softball interview

(Image credit: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

published 6 August 2020

As millions of Americans remain unemployed and protests against racial injustice continue, Geraldo Rivera wants to know all about President Trump's feelings.

Rivera interviewed Trump on his radio show Thursday, asking him all sorts of tough questions about where he'll give his Republican National Convention Speech, how first lady Melania Trump feels about Trump being bullied, and his legions of boating supporters. And in the end, Trump made a very big Election Day promise that he has no say in fulfilling.

Rivera's interview spun from topic from topic, during which Trump promised him DACA, the program protecting immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, was "gonna work out." Trump then accused former Vice President Joe Biden of being "against the Bible," (which even Rivera called "a little harsh,") and rambled on about he "didn't know" John Lewis "at all" when asked why he didn't go to Lewis' funeral. Still, Trump repeated that he's done more for Black people than anyone, giving Abraham Lincoln a "possible" exception. That prompted Rivera to call Trump a "civil rights activist."

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In perhaps his most outlandish assertion, Trump said he was expecting there to be a coronavirus vaccine by Election Day. "If you had another president, other than me, you wouldn't be talking vaccines for two years," he said. Experts say it's unlikely there will be a vaccine this year, while Dr. Anthony Fauci has said he's cautiously optimistic about it. And when it comes to his actions on the coronavirus so far, Trump said he doesn't really have any regrets. Kathryn Krawczyk

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Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.

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