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Donald Trump Tries to Woo Black Voters by Asking 'What Do You Have to Lose?'

The GOP candidate's speech in Michigan blamed Democrats and their policies for "poverty" in African-American communities.

Published Aug. 19, 2016

 (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia)
Image Via Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made an unusual pitch to black voters by asking them to cast their ballot for him in the November 2016 election because "what do you have to lose?"

Trump made the comments during rally on 19 August 2016 Dimondale, Michigan.

You're living in poverty, your schools are no good, 58% of your youth are unemployed -- what the hell do you have to lose?

Trump's comments were made during a speech about unemployment and poverty, claiming Democratic presidents had made international trade deals and want to bring refugees into the United States, all creating foreign competition for African-American workers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for African-Americans between the ages of 16 and 19 was 30 percent in the second fiscal quarter of 2016.

Look how much African-American communities have suffered under Democratic control. To those I say the following. What do you have to lose by trying something new like Trump... I say it again, what do you have to lose?

Trump's full speech and the abridged version can be viewed here:

Bethania Palma is a journalist from the Los Angeles area who has been working in the news industry since 2006.