If conservatives paid more attention to what I've been saying, Trump could have been better prepared for this question.

He did okay. But, only by meandering and filibustering.

See my below for how this dialogue should have gone.

Question: "Mr. President, when was America great for African Americans?"

Answer:

"Great question. Great question.

Look, I think we've gotta look at America in two ways: first, in terms of its people and what they've done, and second, in terms of America's ideals. ...

In terms of the American People, Americans aren't perfect. Nobody's perfect. But, I think Americans—and especially black Americans are a big part of this—Americans, the American People, are what made America great from the very beginning. You can think of so many people...

...Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and many others—these are real American heroes. Yes, they lived through a difficult time that wasn't great for them in many ways, I understand that...

...but THEY were great. They were great people—great Americans doing great things.

So, I think it's fair to say that greatness has been part of the American People for a very long time. We could use more of it. But, like I said, we're not perfect.

Now, in terms our ideals—obviously, our ideals are great. They've always been great. Abraham Lincoln, Frederick...

...Douglass, Martin Luther King—they all knew America's ideals were great, and they wanted us to get back to them. The same principles that won freedom from Britain in 1776 won freedom for black Americans 100 years later.

Martin Luther King called it a 'creed,' and...

...I think that's great. The American Creed. The Republican Party was founded on that Creed, by the way, because it puts Americans first, and doesn't divide them by race... which is what the Democratic Party is still doing to this day.

Just look at the streets...

...in Democrat cities. Do these people look like united to you? No. Their policies are failing. And instead of supporting our Republican reform bills, you know what they're doing? They're encouraging rioters and looters, and refusing to let me come in and help them. Sad."

"So, when I say #MakeAmericaGreatAgain, I'm talking to the great American People, and about America's great founding principles. They have made America great several times in the past, and we are doing it again now.

Leave behind the Democratic politics of grievance. Join us."