Donald Trump and the 100 Pastors: Epilogue

For those who have been following, there was... 
Fact-Checking the GOP: Donald Trump and the 100 Black Pastors (11-29)
Update: Donald Trump and the Tale of the 100 Pastors, the Oops Factor (11-30)
An Update to the Update: Trump Sees "Love" in Meeting with Black Clergy (also 11-30)

Today, the end (hopefully) of the story...

Eye Recommend:

Mr. Trump on Monday after the meeting with black clergy.

(Any underlines are mine.)

'LOVE' AND DISBELIEF FOLLOW DONALD TRUMP MEETING WITH BLACK LEADERS, by Michael Barbaro and John Corrales

It seemed like a powerful counterpoint to the perception of Donald Trump as intolerant: A hundred black ministers and religious leaders would endorse him at his offices in Manhattan, vouching for his sensitivity and broad-mindedness, 

But within hours of the announcement a few days ago, furious backtracking, denials and finger-pointing were underway.

By (the) afternoon, the supposed declaration of support from a cross-section of African-Americans seemed to crumble as several pastors insisted they had never agreed to attend or back Mr. Trump.  In the end, his political debut with black leaders was refashioned into a private meeting with a smaller group...

From what I have read, there were about 50 people in the room, including Trump staffers. 

...Pressure to endorse Mr. Trump hovered over the meeting, according to attendees, who said that cards pledging support were handed out for them to sign while Mr. Trump was in the room. 

Mr. Trump brushed off the brouhaha over the meeting, and said he received "many, many endorsements" from the ministers.  But the campaign declined to offer a list of either the ministers who attended or those who had endorsed him.  After the meeting, a single religious leader, Darrell Scott, a Cleveland-area minister who helped organize the session, publicly endorsed Mr. Trump in the lobby of the building...

...Despite the public expressions of skepticism, Mr. Trump insisted that several of the ministers expressed admiration for him.  After the meeting, the Trump campaign said it would connect a reporter to an attendee who could testify to Mr. Trump's sincerity.  At that point, Bruce LeVell of Atlanta got on the phone. 

"It was very successful," Mr. LeVell said of the meeting.  "It was like sitting in his living room having a conversation.  There was no tension."

Other than the organizer of the event, Mr. LeVell was the only participant to provide a quote for a news release issued by Mr. Trump after the gathering.

It turns out, however that Mr. LeVell is not a minister.  He is a local Republican politician in Georgia... 

...On Monday night (Mr. LeVell) was headed home to Atlanta on Mr. Trump's private plane...

..."I got a free ticket," Mr. LeVell explained. 

what eye thynk:  Well, now we know how much Trump is willing to pay for an endorsement.  Anyone looking for a free ride home over the holidays?

You can read the full article here