31 Jul 2019 Project 21’s Blueprint Featured in Fox News Post-Debate Discussion

Invited to speak about President Donald Trump’s tweets on the state of inner-city Baltimore, Project 21 Co-Chairman Horace Cooper became part of the Fox News Channel’s team coverage of the second Democratic presidential debate which aired on CNN.

Scheduled to appear in a stand-alone debate about Baltimore on “The Ingraham Angle,” Horace and frequent debate partner Leo Terrell ended up in a panel discussion that included Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Sara Carter, Mark Penn and host Laura Ingraham. During the discussion, Horace spoke about how the White House engaged with Project 21 about fixing the problems facing these black communities through its “Blueprint for a Better Deal for Black America.”

Even Terrell, a fierce liberal, had to admit during the debate that candidate Beto O’Rourke’s inference that the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow is still “alive and well” in America is not true. But Terrell tried to make a case against the White House by citing a Quinnipiac University poll that said 51% of those surveyed thought the President was racist. Horace responded that the Trump Administration actually met with Project 21 about ideas to help increase opportunities for black Americans. Addressing why people might suggest the President is a racist, Horace explained it was misperception fueled by Trump Administration critics:

You know why that is? The reason is that the New York Times, the Washington Post, all of the talking heads lie about the President. They lie about the President.

Our organization – Project 21 – came out last year with a Blueprint for a Better Deal for Black America. And we were addressing issues like in Baltimore, addressing issues like crime.

Do you know who responded? The White House did. The White House invited us to the White House. Not the [Congressional Black Caucus]. Not the mayor of Baltimore. Not any of the Democrat leaders are willing to do it.

Adding to the discussion, Giuliani asserted that President Trump has done “more for the African-American community, Hispanics, whites, everybody else than any president in 50 years.” Horace replied “absolutely – for America.”

Project 21’s Blueprint offers 57 budget-neutral recommendations across ten policy areas including employment, public safety, immigration, voting rights and criminal justice reform.

Horace was also asked about the bias of CNN host Don Lemon, who was one of the moderators at the debate. To highlight the antipathy for President Trump contained in Lemon’s performance, Ingraham played samples of his questions, including one to O’Rourke: “What do you say to those Trump voters who prioritize the economy over the President’s bigotry?” Ingraham asked Horace: “How does CNN defend having Lemon moderate this debate?”

Horace noted that CNN is paying the price in the ratings for its over-the-top anti-Trump bias. He said:

It’s like what happens in a forest when no one’s around, and people ask: “Is there a sound?”

The ratings at CNN are in such a floor state it’s not clear – even when they have the Democrats on for a debate, with one-sided questions offered by Mr. Lemon – it’s not clear that anyone is paying attention anyway.