now to race and politics in this country Mr President you recently said a vice president Harris quote I didn't know she was black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn black and now she wants to be known as black I want to ask a bigger picture question here tonight why do you believe it's appropriate to weigh in on the racial identity of your opponent I don't and I don't care I don't care what she is I don't care uh you make a big deal out of something I couldn't care less whatever she wants to be is okay with me but those were your words so I don't know I don't know I mean all I can say is I read where she was not black that she put out and I'll say that and then I read that she was black and that's okay either one was okay with me that's up to her that's up to her vice president Harris your thoughts on this I think it's I mean honestly I think it's a a tragedy that we have um someone who wants to be president who has consistently over the course of his career attempted to use race to divide the American people you know I do believe that the vast majority of us know that we have so much more in common than what separates us and we don't want this kind of approach that is just constantly trying to divide us and especially by race and let's remember how Donald Trump started he was a a a a land he owned land he owned buildings and he he was investigated because he refused to rent property to black families let's remember this is the same individual who took out a full page ad in the New York Times calling for the execution of five young black and Latino boys who were innocent the Central Park 5 took out a full page ad calling for their execution this is the same individual who spread birther lies about the first black president of the United States and I think the American people want better than that want better than this want someone who understands as I do I travel our country we see in each other a friend we see in each other a neighbor we don't want a leader who is constantly trying to have Americans Point their fingers at each other I meet with people all the time who tell tell me can we please just have discourse about how we're going to invest in the aspirations and the Ambitions and the dreams of the American people knowing that regardless of people's color or the language their grandmother speaks we all have the same dreams and aspirations and Want a President Who invests in those not in hate and division vice president Harris thank you Lindsay president