Leaked Script Shows What Advisers Want Donald Trump to Say at Black Church

Leaked Script Shows What Advisers Want Donald Trump to Say at Black Church

By YAMICHE ALCINDORSEPT. 1, 2016
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Bishop Wayne T. Jackson at Great Faith Ministries in Detroit on Tuesday. Bishop Jackson is scheduled to interview Donald J. Trump on Saturday. Credit Sean Proctor for The New York Times

DETROIT — Donald J. Trump’s visit to a black church here on Saturday will be a major moment for a candidate with a history of offending the sensibilities of black Americans.

His team was leaving nothing to chance.

Instead of speaking to the congregation at Great Faith Ministries International, Mr. Trump had planned to be interviewed by its pastor in a session that would be closed to the public and the news media, with questions submitted in advance. And instead of letting Mr. Trump be his freewheeling self, his campaign prepared lengthy answers for the submitted questions, consulting black Republicans to make sure he says the right things.

An eight-page draft script obtained by The New York Times shows 12 questions that Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, the pastor, intends to ask Mr. Trump in the taped question-and-answer session, as well as the responses Mr. Trump is being advised to give.

The proposed answers were devised by aides working for the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee, according to an official who has been involved in the planning but declined to be identified while speaking about confidential strategy

[link to www.nytimes.com]