Tonight's debate was held
at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta,
a choice some believe is about sending a message
to a very specific group of voters.
So we sent Roy Wood Jr. down to Atlanta
to investigate.
Atlanta, the capital of Georgia and blackness.
Democrats are here to appeal to black voters,
but what do black voters want?
I'm here to find out.
But first, Waffle House.
As the Democrats prepare for the debate
at Tyler Perry's gated community,
I assembled a panel of voters all with one thing in common.
All right, who voted for Obama in 2012?
I was too young.
So, which candidate do you think best understands
the needs of the black voter?
I think Elizabeth Warren.
-Bernie. -I want to go Bernie.
Chris, who do you think best understands
-the needs of the black voter? -Donald Trump.
Huh?
I'm sorry.
Uh, explain.
Some of the stuff I've heard,
he's already doing it, like prison reform.
He's been hanging around black people
as long as I can remember.
They loved him till he ran for president as a Republican.
Trump was the man.
Raise your hand if you remember when Donald Trump was the man.
(laughter)
The man as in the man but not the man.
He wouldn't let black people into his apartment.
Roy know what I'm talking about.
WOOD: I don't know what he's talking about.
But maybe some word association
will show us what they think of the other candidates.
Joe Biden.
-Gaffes. -Touching women.
All right. So, nothing positive.
Okay, next candidate.
WOMAN: Okay.
Serve as a leader.
Thinks well on her feet.
Warren is discussing giving black people reparations.
Is that a campaign promise you believe she could fulfill?
ALL: No.
Instead of calling it reparations,
what if they called it back pay?
-No. -No. -No, that sounds even worse.
That-That's worse.
WOOD: All right, next candidate.
That's the man right there.
Bernie.
He was with Martin Luther King.
But, uh, he just had a heart attack, so no.
So, why do you love Bernie, Jessica?
Um, 'cause he gon' walk it like he talk it.
He gon' be out there with us.
-If he can. If he can. -JESSICA: If he can walk.
I'll put him in a wheelchair. I'll be right there behind him.
What do we feel about...
Pete Buttigieg?
Oh, I'm sorry. That's not Pete Buttigieg.
-(chuckling) -That's-- There he is.
But, look, you can see the similarities.
Very much so. He got the--
Ooh, his hairline is like the bread.
(chuckling)
They could be twins.
-They could, you know, be siblings. -It is.
But he's polling terribly with black people right now.
Exactly. We don't know him.
He went up to Harlem, sat down with Al Sharpton,
had some soul food at Sylvia's.
Is that pandering or outreach?
-Pandering. -Pandering. -Pandering.
-What did he order? -Right.
So if you saw him crumble the cornbread on top of the greens.
-That's real. Yeah. -Might-might be-- He might be all right.
So, Kamala Harris.
-She the police. -Exactly.
There's-there's a lot of people who look like me
locked up under her watch.
So, Kamala's campaign released a video
of her dancing to Cardi B.
-That's pandering. -Pandering.
So then what is Kamala supposed to do?
When you're out and you black and a band plays,
do you not do a little dance
while you walking along with the second line?
I think we're harder on the black candidates, to be honest.
I think it's difficult for-for black people like her,
even l-- even Cory, to-to be themselves
when the spotlight is on them.
Cory Booker told Joe Biden that he dipping in the Kool-Aid
and don't know the flavor. How did that make you feel
-as a black person? -He corny.
Oh, no, we-we've all said something like that.
Oh, yeah. He allowed. He just said it in a corny way.
Is their a behavioral expectation on black candidates
that's not put on white candidates
-when appealing to black voters? -Mm. Yes. -Yes.
Why do you think that is, for black voters?
Why do you think we do that?
Because we see ourselves in them.
And if they're acting a certain way, then we're like, "Mm, no."
Eh, white people are watching. Don't act like that. (mutters)
-Exactly. -We expect them
to represent all the different types of blacks.
-The spectrum. -Yes.
So, we've talked about a lot of stuff tonight.
Having said all of that about all
of the Democratic candidates,
how many of you all still think Trump will win in 2020?
Do you honestly think that any of these Democrats
-could beat Trump? -If they all rallied for one.
There are so many people running.
So we all need to agree on who that one candidate is,
and then all the other candidates support him.
Tell me who's that candidate.
-Bernie. -Elizabeth Warren. -Elizabeth Warren.
Trump 2020, baby.
Just-- Hold on.
Just hold on a second.
And there's a lesson for Democrats.
You can't win the black vote by pandering,
because black people are as complex
as any other voter base.
If you want our trust, make promises you can keep,
walk it like you talk it
and, above all, keep the faith.
Father God, we call on you right now
to pray for Chri-- Chris, close your eyes.
We're praying for you.
We ask you, Father God, to help Christopher.
Lordy, we respect Chris as a voter, Lord,
but we just hope his check engine light come on
in November, Lord, on Election Day,
to just make sure that his truck does not start.
-(humming) -These and many other blessings
we ask in your name, Jesus' name.
-Hallelujah! -Amen.
It's a good talk.
Good talking to y'all.
Good talk.
(cheering and applause)
Roy Wood Jr., everybody.