RNC: Football Great Herschel Walker Has Word for People Who Call Trump a Racist

One of the more moving speeches on the first night of the Republican National Convention was by retired football great Herschel Walker, who talked about his friendship with President Trump.

Walker was on the roster when Trump bought the USFL team the New Jersey Generals back in the early 1980s. The league folded in 1986 and Walker moved on to the NFL. They’ve had a “deep, personal” friendship for nearly four decades.

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Walker tried to sum up the friendship in three minutes and he did a pretty good job. See the video of his speech below.

I’m not an actor, a singer, or a politician. I’m Herschel Walker. Most of you know me as a football player, but I’m also a father, a man of faith, and a very good judge of character. I’ve known Donald Trump for 37 years. I don’t mean just casual, ran into him from time to time. I’m talking about a deep, personal friendship.

Walker Watched Trump Treat Everyone Like a VIP

Walker said he watched Trump interact with people from the boardroom to the broom closet and said his friend impressed him by how he treated the little guy.

I watched him treat janitors, security guards, and waiters the same way you would treat a VIP. He made them feel special because he knew they were. He understands that they are the people who make this country run. They clean, they cook, they build, they drive, they deliver. He told me, “Herschel, make an effort to get to know people. Remember their names.” That stuck with me.

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Trump can be brusque with people in the boardroom, in debates, and on Twitter, but Walker said that’s how he gets the job done.

Some people don’t like his style, the way he knocks down obstacles that get in the way of his goals. People on the opposing team, they didn’t like when I ran over them, either, but that’s how you get the job done.

On ‘It’s a Small World’ in a Suit

But Walker said Trump would drop everything for his kids.

I watched him in the boardroom. He can be in the middle of a big meeting, but if one of the kids was on the phone, he dropped everything to take the call. He taught me that the family should be your top priority.

One time I planned to take his kids to Disney World with my family. At the last minute, Donald said he’d like to join us. So there he was in a business suit on the It’s a Small World ride. That was something to see. It just shows you what a caring, loving father he is.

Great to see longime friend of Pres. @realDonaldTrump & the Trump family, the great @HerschelWalker added to tonight’s lineup of @GOPconvention speakers like @DonaldJTrumpJr. Talk about a full circle moment!#GOPConvention #RNCConvention2020 #GreatAmericanStory #LandofPromise pic.twitter.com/PltaQTBdm4

— PARIS (@PARISDENNARD) August 24, 2020

Walker: I Know What Racism Is and It Isn’t Donald Trump

Trump wasn’t a “racist” until he ran for president as a Republican. Walker had a word for those people.

It hurt my soul to hear the terrible names that people call Donald. The worst one is racist. I take it as a personal insult that people would think I’ve had a 37-year friendship with a racist.

People who think that don’t know what they’re talking about. Growing up in the deep South, I’ve seen racism up close. I know what it is and it isn’t Donald Trump. Just because someone loves and respects the flag, our national anthem, and our country doesn’t mean they don’t care about social justice. I care about all of those things. So does Donald Trump. He shows how much he cares about social justice in the black community through his actions and his actions speaks louder than stickers or slogans on a jersey.

He keeps right on fighting to improve the lives of black Americans and all Americans. He works night and day. He never stops. He leaves nothing on the field.