MONTEL WILLIAMS: I can't remain silent when we direct hate towards an entire race of people. Hispanics, when we direct hate towards an entire religion. Muslims. I can't stand silence! When we direct hate towards the LGBT community, we're hating our own daughters, our own sons, our own wives. It blows my mind that I've put on a uniform to defend this Constitution against all, and we have people right here who would actually take away the rights from as many as they could.
[END VIDEO]
BROOKE BALDWIN (HOST): Montel Williams speaking to his own party at an event held here in Cleveland by the American Unity Fund calling on Republicans to do more for the LGBT community. Also speaking at that very event, Caitlyn Jenner, who was quite candid about the difficulties of being trans and being Republican. Montel Williams, long-time host of the Montel Williams Show, joins me now. Good to see you, my friend.
WILLIAMS: Thanks for having me, Brooke.
BALDWIN: My goodness, talk to me about this morning. I mean, what's your message?
WILLIAMS: Well, I mean, I looked into a room where I would think that probably ten years ago you would never have seen that many different cultures of people. All Americans. From black, white, Hispanic, Asian, to people who were clearly straight, people who were clearly conservative, all there understanding that if we truly are the party of Lincoln, we truly are the party of Reagan, Reagan himself said in 1984, “We are the party that includes all. We are not a party -- there is no place for bigots, period.”
BALDWIN: You feel like the Republican tent is not big enough?
WILLIAMS: I feel like they've definitely shut the door and don't care. And, I think it is time to change that rhetoric. I mean, see again, I stepped away from the party when the party completely stepped away from me and made me understand they didn't want me to be a part. I became an independent but that didn't change my conservative values. It didn't change the way I feel about issues. And so, I still like to lobby with, I want to be next to, I want to talk to. But why can't we even have a conversation? So that was what this morning was about, and I'm glad that there was a group of people there willing to listen.
