STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Today, former President Trump speaks at the annual conference of the National Association of Black Journalists. He accepted an invitation from the group, whose members are divided. The conference co-chair stepped down from this event, saying on social media that she was not consulted on the decision to, quote, "platform" the former president. One of the journalists who invited Trump said the NABJ routinely invites presidential nominees and dismissed criticism by saying, continue to go off on social media.
Errin Haines is the editor-at-large of the newsroom The 19th, which covers politics with a lens on women, and is also a member of the National Association of Black Journalists. Welcome. Good morning.
ERRIN HAINES: Thanks so much for having me. Good morning.
INSKEEP: How are you thinking about this decision?
HAINES: Yeah, I mean, well, certainly, I can understand. The NABJ, which I have been a longtime member of, has invited presidential candidates in election years to come and address our organization. We are the oldest and largest gathering of journalists of color in the country. And so, you know, inviting those candidates - a lot of times, Republican candidates don't necessarily accept that invitation. We have had Republican candidates come to our convention before. Former President Trump has been invited to our convention before, but this is the first time that he is showing up.
And him having previously attacked members of our organization - people like Jemele Hill, Yamiche Alcindor, April Ryan, Nikole Hannah-Jones - I can certainly understand why some of my fellow members would have an issue with somebody like him being at our convention while, at the same time, understanding that this is a convention of journalists who should be able to interrogate him around, you know, his agenda, but also some of his previous statements, particularly as they relate to the Black community.
INSKEEP: Former President Trump has a particular relationship with the media. He feeds off of media coverage. He also attacks the media as part of his business model. Is there something special about the experience of Black journalists here?
HAINES: I would say yes, and particularly Black women journalists. I mean, everybody that I named were Black women. There are going to be...
INSKEEP: Right.
HAINES: ...Three Black women interviewing him today at our convention in Chicago. And so given his previous track record - his interaction with Black women journalists - you have to wonder how this is going to go today - not to mention, as you just said, I mean, he has been openly anti-journalism. This is also - NABJ is a group that celebrates diversity. The former president and some Republicans have derided diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
And so, yeah, I mean, it really just seems like his appearance, in some ways, feels to be at odds with some of the stances that he and also his party have taken in the past. So you have to wonder, you know, kind of why now? As I mentioned, he's been invited as a candidate before and declined to come.
INSKEEP: The multiple journalists interviewing him include Harris Faulkner, who is not a straight-up reporter - is on Fox News and is seen as more pro-Trump than some other people. Is that OK?
HAINES: There are, you know, two other journalists that are going to be interviewing him. I know that former President Trump is certainly friendly with Harris Faulkner. But look, I mean, as much - you have to wonder, you know, kind of, like I said, why now? The calculus has obviously changed for former President Trump in the past week. He's been saying for much of the past year that he's been making inroads with the Black community. And now obviously with Vice President Kamala Harris in the race, we're not sure how much that continues. So coming to these kinds of settings is also about his voters - showing them that he's reaching out to the Black community. So you have to wonder, you know, kind of what even the reasoning is for him appearing today and how he's going to use this appearance, you know, kind of coming out of today.
INSKEEP: Oh, interesting. We just got about 10 seconds, but I guess that could be the first question. President Trump, why are you here?
HAINES: Absolutely.
INSKEEP: Well, thanks very much for taking the time, Errin Haines.
HAINES: Thanks so much for having me. Take care.
INSKEEP: She is editor-at-large of the newsroom The 19th and a member of the National Association of Black Journalists. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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