“We have laid hands on him, and I believe without a doubt Mr. Trump truly, truly wants to be a president for all Americans," Mark Burns says. | AP Photo Pro-Trump pastor: He 'absolutely listened' to African-Americans, Hispanics at meeting

Donald Trump "absolutely listened" to the black and Hispanic leaders of the Republican Party at their Thursday meeting at Trump Tower, pastor Mark Burns, one of the GOP nominee's most prominent African-American supporters in attendance declared Friday. Facing off with panelists in a contentious and spirited 10-minute discussion on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," the African-American faith leader offered a personal defense of Trump, suggesting that the Manhattan businessman's past incendiary comments are less important than his vision to improve the country.

“Are you hopeful that, that, I don’t even know what to ask, actually. I’m sorry. Your candidate is saying things that are really—“ co-host Mika Brzezinski trailed off, trying to ascertain what was gained during the meeting.


Panelist Al Sharpton volunteered, “Is he healed? Have y’all healed him of his…”

“We have laid hands on him, and I believe without a doubt Mr. Trump truly, truly wants to be a president for all Americans," Burns said. "And I know without question there has been some language that has been controversial to some Americans. But I believe we’re just really in a very racially divided country right now and I think it's just so imperative."

Asked whether he thought Trump had anything to do with that, Burns begged off, remarking upon a "frustration that has been building for years."

"I mean, this is not nothing that is brand-new. It's not nothing that Donald Trump just all of a sudden created," Burns said. "I think this is something that African-Americans, minorities have been dealing for, you know, since the creation of the United States of America."

Burns, assessing Trump's past attack on Judge Gonzalo Curiel over his heritage and perceived conflict of interest in presiding over litigation, remarked that if he were in Trump's shoes, he would not see it as racist.

"I understand what real racism is. Let me just say this. I am from the South. I'm a black man from the Deep South, OK," Burns said. "In South Carolina, just two months ago, they re-raised the Confederate flag in my state to celebrate its one-year removal. So for you to sit here and ask me if I don't know what real racism is, I don’t think so."

Sharpton said Burns was correct to condemn the re-raising of the Confederate flag, referring to Sen. Tim Scott, "a black man from South Carolina who is a Republican," who called Trump's comments on Curiel "racially toxic."

"There are some things I disagree with Mrs. Clinton about. But I think we lose the moral imperative if we start saying that something that is green is red. What he said was racist. The man, the man's nationality wasn't even Mexican, but even if it was, it was racist. There are things that the Clintons have done that I disagree with," Sharpton said. "But for Donald Trump to say to black Americans, try something new, he needs to tell us what new is."

Grilled on why Trump was not more forceful last year after the shooting in Charleston, Burns responded, "I'm not the politician, Reverend Al."

As far as what Trump did say during the meeting, Burns said those in attendance called education one of the top issues facing their communities.

"The education policy is therefore what to solve?" Sharpton said.

"I think it’s been pretty clear, Reverend Al, to give parents the opportunity to choose the schools that their children should attend. That's a policy all by itself that we currently don't have. There should be more charter schools. There should be more magnet schools. We should allow schools to compete," Burns responded, echoing Trump's comments.

Sharpton declared that Trump has not come up with an education policy, but has rather "sat up and pandered and said that’s what y’all say. Fine, that's good. That's not a policy."

Burns characterized the Trump Tower session as a "sounding board meeting" where Trump "absolutely listened."

"There were so many notes that were taken," Burns said. "He was engaging to the African-Americans and Muslim Americans that were in attendance and the Hispanic Americans that were in attendance and they were pouring their heart out and he was taking in every single thing we were saying."

When Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson asked Burns how he could support Trump without a clear view of his policy on education, the pastor called it a "spiritual inclination" based on not backing "any candidate or any party that will support the death of millions of babies in this country" as well "the sanctity of marriage."

Burns then engaged in another back and forth about Trump calling Hillary Clinton a bigot, asking, "why we are here on national television wasting this wonderful time? We should be discussing how that young mom who don't have a job -- "

"That's exactly what we ought to be discussing. But he's not discussing that," Sharpton shot back.

"You're saying, though, that your connection to him is on these cultural issues," former George W. Bush communications aide Nicolle Wallace remarked, as Burns responded, "spiritual matters, absolutely."

Wallace continued, "But on the other things, would you concede that he's got to go?

"I’m not your political analyst. I could just declare that I know the man and I know his heart. I have the wonderful opportunity to know him personally," Burns said, suggesting that the Trump portrayed in the media is not the same man.

Sharpton then commented, "He said his basis is spiritual."

"Absolutely," Burns affirmed.

"So we can agree, you should bring him to church and we should bring her to the White House," Sharpton continued.

Laughing, Burns said: "I don’t think so."

