Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed went toe-to-toe Thursday with a Cleveland pastor over Donald Trump's recent comments that "our African-American communities absolutely in the worst shape they've ever been in before, ever, ever, ever."
Reed, a steadfast Hillary Clinton supporter, was paired on CNN with the Rev. James Davis, an African-American pastor and Trump supporter. CNN host Alisyn Camerota quickly realized she was in for a rough segment.
The roughly seven-minute clip above is remarkable television and ended with Camerota pulling the plug as Reed and Davis shouted over each other about the state of African-Americans in America. At the very end, Reed said he couldn't wait to see Davis on election night and just before Camerota cut them both off Davis muttered something to Reed about his "violent city," although it is difficult to make out exactly what was said.
Davis defended Trump's comments that African-Americans are worse off than they've ever been, although he hedged to say, "especially for the last eight years under the Obama Administration."
Davis claimed the poverty rate among African-Americans has increased, a point both Camerota and Reed quickly pointed out was not true. Asked for his first reaction to Trump's comments, Reed was blunt: "I said not surprising Donald Trump is lying and this pastor is clearly misinformed."
After another back and forth between the two men, Reed reiterated: "That's what Donald Trump does: lies."
Earlier we told you how U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Atlanta, responded to Trump's comments. Lewis told MSNBC on Wednesday:
We have seen changes. If he failed to believe that things have changed, I invite him to come and walk in my shoes."
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