December 3, 2019
BET Founder Bob Johnson: The 2020 Presidential Election Is Trump’s To Lose
Apparently, Trump is on his way to another presidential election victory according to BET founder Robert Johnson, reports Deadline.
“If you take a snapshot today, I don’t think that group is capable of beating Trump despite what the polls say,” Johnson, 73, told CNBC. “I think the president has always been in a position where it’s his to lose based on his bringing a sort of disruptive force into what would be called political norms.”
The country’s first black billionaire stated in July that the Democrats running for the presidency have become too liberal and he has no plans on supporting a particular 2020 candidate nor does he have any intention in supporting Donald Trump, as of now.
“I think the economy is doing great, and it’s particularly reaching populations that heretofore had very bad problems in terms of jobs and employment and the opportunities that come with employment,” Johnson said at the time. “African American unemployment is at its lowest level… I give the president a lot of credit for moving the economy in a positive direction that’s benefiting a large amount of Americans.”
Johnson also feels the president’s unorthodox style has an advantage, especially among his core base. “I think the president has always been in a position where it’s his to lose based on his bringing a sort of disruptive force into what would be called political norms,” Johnson, who founded Black Entertainment Television (BET) and RLJ Companies business network, told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble.
He also explained that Trump “brings his style” to the way he handles such issues as foreign policy or immigration. That’s something that the president’s supporters like and the reason why they voted for him and will do so again next year added Johnson.
Johnson is the founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies, a portfolio of companies with holdings in several industries, including the RLJ McLarty Landers Holdings L.L.C., the highest-earning black-owned auto company with revenues of $1.8 billion and ranked No.1 on the 2019 BE Auto 40 list of the nation’s largest black-owned businesses, Black Enterprise‘s annual “BE100s” list.