Gingrich, Kudlow diverge on police-community relations

Newt Gingrich, the former House Speaker, is continuing to strike a conciliatory tone toward African Americans in the wake of a string of deadly incidents, including fatal shootings by police as well as retaliatory killings of police officers.

“No white American understands the pressures of being an African American,” Gingrich, who has emerged as a close ally of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, told the New York delegation attending the Republican National Convention on Monday morning. “We need to find a way to reach out and bring people together.”

Gingrich, who has made similar remarks recently, also applauded a recent speech by U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, who shared his own experiences and described a “deep divide between the black community and law enforcement.”

But another high-profile Trump supporter addressing New York’s delegation, CNBC contributor and conservative commentator Larry Kudlow, had a more confrontational take, railing against the “war against cops.”

Kudlow suggested that in black communities, fathers need to “tell these kids that the cops are their friend and they’re trying to help you and save your life.”

He also criticized President Obama for saying that young blacks need to be told to be careful around police officers.

“I say show me a cop, and 99 times out of 100 it’s going to be a good cop,” Kudlow said, drawing strong applause. 

Trump has emphasized the divisions, saying in a recent tweet: "We are TRYING to fight ISIS, and now our own people are killing our police. Our country is divided and out of control. The world is watching."