STEPHANOPOULOS: So are African American communities really in the worst shape they've ever been?

CONWAY: Seems to me that everything that Donald Trump is saying and it's too bad that the president is so glib about these issues. But Donald Trump —

STEPHANOPOULOS: The president's glib about race issues?

CONWAY: No, no, no, he was very — he — no, George, he was just very glib about what the — you know, calling — referring to an 8-year old. What Donald Trump is talking about in his speeches is bringing — is rebuilding the inner cities, is bringing more jobs there, is tackling full-on poverty and joblessness and homelessness in the inner cities and crime.

I mean, there are 3,000 people have been shot in Chicago this year, 500 dead.

And we're not going to have a serious conversation about crime in the inner cities?

And so I think that it's very — I really applaud Donald Trump for having this conversation in and about the inner cities. He went to a black church in Detroit several weeks ago, taking his case directly to the people. You don't see many Republican candidates do that, particularly when they're running for president.

So I appreciate the fact that President Obama has his perspective. But I think Donald Trump should also be applauded for actually trying to make a difference in these communities.