tonight, the republican national convention. the nextr vision for four years. hear president trump and vice president pence except the nominations, tonight at 8:30 p.m. eastern. the evening session kicks off. watch live on c-span, live streaming and on-demand at c-span.org, or listen with the free c-span radio app. he span, your unfiltered view of politics. -- c-span, your unfiltered view of politics. announcer: you are watching c-span, your unfiltered view of government. provided by america' as cable television companies as a public service and brought to you today by your cable provider. >> we are talking to two shannon, an advisory board member for black voices for trump and also a speaker of the

house of representatives from 2013 to 2014. your group? >> with african-americans all over the country who support this country -- president who recognize that he has an agenda to move african-americans forward. you look at the unemployment rate, what is going on in terms of hbcu funding, the president has a record. i am proud to be the cochair. nestormer cochair, herman cain, was a longtime american success story, and our story about lack voices is to tell the president's story about what he is doing to earn the vote of black americans and to move latin america forward. host: what do you .2, mr. shannon? guest: he has a huge agenda, greta? him -- how you move

people out of generational poverty, because that is really the issue that faces african-american communities, particularly in the inner cities. this president has a tremendous record on the school choice issue. i suspect we will hear more about that during the convention, as well. the idea that we are keeping african-american children trapped in failing schools, when even barack obama said early on in his campaign that the great civil rights moment opportunity of the 21st century's access to a quality education, and so the president has a great record on that for african-americans, but also, your previous guest mentioned the idea of criminal justice. back in the 1990's, it was joe biden and hillary clinton that laid out the war on crime that created disparities between crack cocaine and powdered cocaine. a lot of people who looked like

me, just because of the color of my skin -- this president has said enough is enough. they are intending to actually tackle, and, frankly, republicans and democrats want criminal justice reform, which impacts african-americans disproportionately. those are just a few of the items. don't let me forget hbcu funding. the president increased funding for historically black colleges and universities, even here in oklahoma, the alma mater of my parents, saw funding increases, sometimes as much as 26%, and further annualized that funding. there is a great story to be told, and black voices for trump is part of that narrative to tell that story. tax: when it comes to the cuts, two shannon, the organization put together some data after the tax cuts were passed, that nearly 40% of black households earn less than

$30,000. how many african-americans benefited from the tax cuts? guest: the vast majority. just rewind the tape before this pandemic hit us back in january, when we really started to see the lockdowns take place. cuts, who the tax knows what this economy would be, and, frankly, we know that when economic hardships happen, they disproportionately impact african-american communities, and the vast majority benefited from the president's tax cuts. anytime there is an opportunity for people to keep more of their money, it is a good thing for the economy and a good thing for families. i think this is where we see the contrast in ideology between democrats and republicans, the idea that we believe, as conservatives, that people are in the best shape to make decisions about their income, where to spend their money, not the government. host:

to your group -- is it officially part of the president's campaign? and how many members do you have? guest: we are an official part of the campaign. this president has done more -- in fact, you are seeing the result of this president in the african-american community. i don't think ever before you have seen democrats have to compete for the african-american vote. i look at the democratic convention last week, and the way they highlighted many minorities. actually competing for the vote for the first time. the challenges, there was not a lot of policy issues to talk about how to move the african-american community forward. it was a grassroots organization all over the country. the advisory board, there are several dozen members that helped shape messaging and the targeting. i'm co-chair of the group, along with the nice of -- along with

many other conservatives around the country. who believe this president has the right solutions for the african-american community. that is what i'm hoping the convention this week will be about -- solutions, as opposed to last week's convention, which was about what's wrong with america. this is still the safest place in the world for investment. it works for african-americans as well. host: cbs had a recent battleground tracker paul that -- tracker poll that shows the former vice president leads black voters 90% to 6%. this is higher than the percent of voters that backed hillary clinton heading into her nomination in 2016. how do you respond? guest: first of all, we know what the polls mean for donald trump. we know they cannot be tr. what i think is being

underestimated is this idea that there is a silent majority at their who speaks to president trump, and exley support the president. as a focal member of the social media world right now, i often post the positive things that happen for president trump, to move the country forward, and the 3 million jobs created in the last two months, even during this pandemic. me about donald trump is the number of people, and they're often minorities, who will inbox me to say, we are reconsidering. we have voted democrat most of our lives. we are tired of the same old, same old. a predominately african-american church in lawton, oklahoma. a numberfore elections of democrat politicians would come into the church, and promise the moon, and he would not see them again until the

next election. president trump says something that i think resonated with african-americans that i think will speak for a long time. what do you have to lose? we have an opportunity as a community to do with the rest of the country has known for a long time. that is that a two-party system is good for america and so it is good for black america. you look at even what happened in the last election. president trump 14% of the african-american male vote. i think there has been a huge campaignat the trump is creating african-american communities -- i'm sorry, african-american communities are creating offices for the campaign, because the is a real record here, unlike past presidents who have ignored the african-american community or taken them for granted. donald trump is really competing for the vote. i'm convinced that this term you are going to see a huge movement

and african-american support for this president. host: as we approach the top of the hour and republican delegates are gathering in charlotte, north carolina, the convention gets underway this morning in the 9:00 hour. we are expecting them to gavel him, the delegates starting to take their seats. masks are required. six feet apart. they will start with a roll call vote. we are talking with the advisory board member and cochair of black voices for trump. randy in little rock, arkansas, good morning. caller: good morning. host: go ahead, randy. now,r: yes, i'm watching and i don't agree with nothing this guy is talking about, shannon. shannon, what i would like to know is, is it true that donald trump gave money to all the black universities?

i went to southern university in baton rouge, and the people i talked to are saying they did not get any money from donald trump. number two, no one is talking about-- no one is talking this man was bankrupt two or three times and had to get a lot of help black folks. and number three, donald trump is racist and we all know donald trump is racist. he is not the person who needs to be running the united states again. he did not do anything about this coronavirus. told people to spray disinfectant in their mouth, then go outside in the sun, with the heat to kill it. and that is all true. donald trump needs to listen to the science, and he is not doing that. donald trump is not for the black folks. host: i'm going to have tw shannon respond. randy, lett of all,

me say to you that this is a president who has a proven record, and you can check the record. what donald trump did for black colleges and universities is in the congressional record. you can look at any of the house management websites that talk about the funding. this president increased funding for any three percent for historically black colleges and universities, and that is a fact. it was not done for political reasons. it was done because he recognizes that historical black colleges and universities are critical to african-american success. if you look at ceo's of a chickasaw community bank -- many black ceo's came from hbcus. if we are going to move the needle for the african-american community, how do you start moving people from generational policy? hbcus are critical components of that. president trump was the first president to move the number for hbcu funding. you mentioned this idea of

president trump being a racist. we hear about this with every republican that has ever been in office. every republican i know has had to deal with being called a racist, even myself, to be honest with you. but the reality is instead of trying to figure out who is a racist and who is not -- that is not going to move the needle for the african-american community. what is good to move the needle for the african-american community is jobs and educational opportunity. president trump has been big when it comes to those issues. i think the record proves it and you are going to hear about it this week at the convention. host: tell us your story. did you have conservative parents? when did you realize -- i did or come become a republican conservative? guest: i did. in oklahoma, we are a conservative state. we are the most conservative state in the union. --family had not been with

been historically republican. many of them are now. most democrats that i know got democrat can dental's -- credentials from college or once they started a job opportunity. i got my conservative credentials from the church, the idea of valuing human life, the idea of personal liberty. those all came from my judeo jim heritage in the african-american church, where i saw a great family values, and i saw men who got up and went to work every day, including my parents, who were married. i lost my mother in february. my parents were married almost 50 years. i learned that in the church. i did not have to listen to cnn or msnbc to try to get what i believed was a good core foundation. i learned from my church and my own family. that is where i got my own values from. when i became an adult, one of my first opportunities to work

in government and to serve was working for what i believe is one of the greatest public figures ever to serve, congressman jc watts. he is a personal friend and mentor of mine. that is when i really got involved. now, i am the ceo of a bank, chickasaw community bank, where we are seeing in real time how good public policy can move the needle for people, for individuals, and for small businesses in this country. the president represent judeo-christian values? guest: i think the president has done more in fact for people of faith in this country who care about the idea of personal liberty, keeping his commitment that many before him have made israel, totest ally, also making sure that religious liberty, the idea of freedom of worship, remains. just a few months ago, literally, there was a shut down

or an attempted shutdown of churches around the country, and it was donald trump who, when many democrats called on him, asking him to have a national shutdown -- it was president trump who said that is not what this country is about. we are federal. we are going to allow the states to make decisions. most states have come full circle on the coronavirus relief we are seeing around the country. independent line. you are next. caller: how are you doing today? sir, i have got to ask you a couple things here. one of them is if you think donald trump was sued for discriminating against black number one.eynolds, two, in the beginning, every black person i knew was

republican because they were the party of lincoln. that did not change until johnson gave them the voting said he literally destroyed the south because of the south, and you know what i am saying here. , why doesst with you theident trump invite chairman of the joint chiefs, colin powell? i will listen to your answer of the air. have a good day. host: tw shannon? guest: i did not hear the last part of the question. something about colin powell? host: i did not understand if he said invite him to the white house. i was not sure. you can just take the first part. wast: i think the idea again about the idea of african-american support for this president, this president's record on african-american support. trump myown donald entire life. i remember him as a media person

, but also as a real estate tycoon. i heard of him. i knew of him my entire life. i have also seen amazing support for him from african-american leaders within the community, including al sharpton and jesse jackson. when i was a kid, i remember them heralding the work of donald trump. it was not until he became president that this idea of his being a racist even came about, but it comes with the territory. when you are republican, it's what the democrats have done for the last 50 years. tell the community that the only issue, the most important issue, is, is this guy racist? who is this racist? there is a litmus test if you are republican. prove to me you are not a racist. i am a banker, ceo of chickasaw community bank. i asked people, have you ever robbed a bank? most people will tell you know. most people have not. prove it. how do you prove you are not a

racist? i don't know. i do know this president has a record on african-american issues and supporting issues important to this community. -- does not couto to the idea kowtow to the idea of what is political correct. he calls it like he sees it. when he sees injustice, he tries to correct it. that is why you are seeing criminal justice reform, something i think that is historic that he does not get enough credit for. you have also seen what the president has done with the idea of empowerment, the idea of finding his strength communities. many of them are african-american communities. and finding a way for private investment. you can't tax and spend it your way out of poverty. the idea of entitlement reform -- that is something you are probably going to see happening in the next generation. in the idea that you cannot keep people dependent.

that is something we have seen from democrats along time, is this idea that you want to keep people dependent on the government teat. that is the challenge, i think, and policy for now. once you start down the idea of marxist socialism, of giving people money they did not earn, how do you begin to reel that back? i believe that the best social program in the world is a good paying job, and that is what this president has been about. pandemic, you are seeing over 3 million jobs being created in the last three months, trying to get the economy back moving. i will put the record of the african-american community with any former president. host: david in falls church, virginia, republican. caller: thanks for taking my call. i appreciate you coming on the show even though you have to put up with attacks and nothing but gotcha questions. my question is, what do you feel

about the current vernacular that democrats in particular are peoplend calling black colored people, and doing the same thing with hispanics and asians -- or people of color, whereas in the 1950's, people were called colored people. now, they are reversing it and calling them people of color, it in my opinion is a racial slur, essentially, but they are doing it -- i believe it is the soft bigotry of low expectations. my other question is, what do you feel when you are told by people who hear that you support donald trump that he is a racist, and yet here you are, a black conservative, saying you support him? is it ever make your brain heard that you are being told that somebody is a racist that willingly and openly takes your support and does things to help you? you know, it's interesting. being an african-american conservative, you are always

subjected to a number of media attacks, and people from the left who like to keep us in a box. that is the challenge, i think, that goes to your first question. the democratic party is really good at keeping the african-american community and african-american votes within a box. if you don't think exactly like us, you don't behave exactly like us, if you don't support the candidates we support, then you are not one of us. i wholeheartedly, fundamentally reject that ideology. i will put my blackness against anybody. the reality is the democratic party has taken the african-american vote for granted for far too long. i believe that part of what has made this country great is that we are a two-party system. if the two-party system is good enough for the majority of america, it is also good for black america.

the african-american vote, the african-american community is important. that is why you have seen him make appointments like those of ben carson, a terrific surgeon, and a guy who has been on the presidential ticket for the primary back in 2012, and who way for urbanhe development, and revamping that entire agency. this president has done a terrific job. you contrast that to the democrats. joe biden -- member who president trump is running against. facing biden, a guy who totally socialism. a guy who looked at me and said, if you don't vote for him, you are not black. within theversity african-american community. that we all think alike, that we all support each other -- you are seeing with the democrat party really feels about

african-americans, and that is what is really sad. you try to see that she saw a great attempt by the democrats to repaint joe biden as the savior of the african-american community. in the 1990's, he said the people who look like me, who were my age at the time, were nothing more than juvenile predators. i'm not a predator. i know my son, my 11-year-old, he is not a predator. the president has to answer for some of the rhetoric and policies they promulgated the last 50 years. host: we will go to louisiana, a democrat there. go ahead. caller: good morning. good morning to you, sir. theticed when they showed people meeting together, half of them did not have their masks on. cain, he was at the tulsa rally, and he was sitting up there without -- with all his

family. and guess what herman cain is now? the 999 man is gone. trump told everybody, this virus will be around 15 days. it won't be but two or three people that will have it. then, it will go away. why is he supporting connie west? -- kanye west? gave kanye west $2 million. he didn't let kanye west put the money in, he let the flag lady put the money in. uye, i feel for the brother because the brother is sick. i don't know how much they are giving you, but you are making an embarrassing person out of yourself. thank you. is interesting to hear somebody criticize somebody for

having a difference of opinion. i value your opinion. i thick it is important that african-americans have a diverse opinion. i believe african-americans should be at every table, not just a particular table. i think this president has done a terrific job making the coronavirus a priority. to ppp loans for small businesses, but also the equipment that is needed for health-care workers around the country. also, let's not forget it was president trump who first shut down the idea of people coming from wuhan, china into this country. people were calling him racist, saying he was out of touch and out of step. now we are seeing countries across europe and asia enacting the same policy. thinkingspend my time about who is racist and who is not. what i am more interested in is

what do we do to move people out of generational poverty? president trump and the republican party have the solution. thosethe caller mentioned gathering in the convention center. the delegates, six from each state and territory. some were not wearing masks. the republican national convention, according to foxnews , saying masks were mandatory. all-dayre taken and an health desk was put in place. they said in the reporting by theirat to take care of business in person, which is now happening, the rnc took a slew of precautions. coronavirus tests were mailed to each delegate, and they were tested again on arrival. masks were mandatory. events were socially distanced. we showed you earlier the tables set up in that room with each

chair appearing to be six feet apart at this convention. moments away from this convention getting underway with the official roll call, the nominating vote for the president and vice president. coverage here on c-span as we continue to talk to tw shannon. we go to chris in elizabethtown, kentucky. caller: thank you c-span. appreciatee to say i you having an informed opinion. don't let any callers get you down. ie reason for my call as would love to see somebody put something on the ballot. i am for street -- i am for free isech, but i think hollywood disrespecting the majority of people in this country by using the word -- all the time. if we put something on the ballot so we can get a response from the people, the audience of -- weood, asking them not

can pass a law because it is free speech, but if we put it on a ballot, we would have people gdk yes or no as to whether was acceptable, we could put a stop to it. conservative, i am a little disappointed in trump. about igets this on think would do a great thing for the country. host: we are running out of time. hearing think what i am you saying is you are concerned about the degradation of traditional american values. i think most americans are concerned about that. elitesia and hollywood have certainly done their part. what i most concerned about is the idea of personal liberty. the challenge, whenever you have

a liberty, you're going to have opposing ideas. so long as we are able to have a society where people are several , part of that starts with a focus on civics in public education. one of the challenges we are seeing is a country now is many people don't have a history of who they are and to this country is. what american exceptionalism is. if we get back to that, if we get back to those fundamentals and starts demanding those of our children, and demanding adults in public office, the issue you are concerned about in the media will take care of itself. shannon, advisory board and cochair of black voices for trump. thank you for your time this morning.

>> is republicans turn. the republican national convention, here there priorities for the next four years. watch president trump and vice president pence accept their party's nomination. the republican national convention tonight at 8:30 p.m., the evening session kicks off. at c-span.org or listen with the free c-span radio app. c-span, your unfiltered view of politics. >> next, remarks by jake sullivan, a senior advisor with the biden presidential campaign on the presidential election and u.s. global leadership with the atlantic council. this is about 45 minutes. >> we are live from samsung studios in washington, d.c. thank you for getting up ear