President Barack Obama is receiving a lot of heat following The President and the Peopletown hall that broadcast across all of the Disney networks on Thursday night.
Erica Garner, daughter of Eric Garner – the man killed by an illegal chokehold in 2014 – expressed her disappointment with the town hall on race via social media. In one posting on Twitter, Garner said, “I was upset because ABC lied and used me, my pain, and suffering for ratings.”
Roland Martin, host of NewsOne Now, called the town hall meeting “a waste of time” and said the broadcast was “clearly heavily edited.”
Martin also made mention of the individuals brought together for the event, noting family members of those who lost their lives at the hands of police officers were sitting side-by-side with family members of cops who killed African-Americans.
Martin said, “It was weird to have the mother of one of the cops that is going on trial, when we have a video of what he did, and he also lied about it.”
NewsOne Now panelist Angela Rye explained the purpose of the president’s town hall was to “soothe race relations in this country.” She added, “I think the president often walks a very difficult balance” of trying to please those who elected him, and the African-American community who overwhelmingly support him.
Watch NewsOne Now with Roland Martin, in its new time slot on TV One.
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