VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — This back and forth is one of the most talked-about moments from the presidential debate.
Moderator Chris Wallace asked President Donald Trump, "Are you willing, tonight, to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down..."
Trump responded, “Who? Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, but I’ll tell you what, somebody’s got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem.”
Partisan or not, the Proud Boys are self-described as a pro-western fraternal organization for men, but the group’s been classified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a “hate group," tied to several violent incidents at protests.
Hampton’s NAACP president, Gaylene Kanoyton said “this is the President of the United States that said this, and we should be outraged.”
She added, “He meant every word he said.”
Former 2nd Congressional District candidate, Jarome Bell said he thinks the response is a misunderstanding.
“I think he was caught in the middle of that because he understands that they’re not a white supremacy group and that’s why if you heard him say 'OK, so what do you want me to call them?'” said Bell.
Bell said, “The Proud Boys is not a white supremacy group. It’s a militia group and it’s totally different.”
Then later Wednesday afternoon, President Trump spoke to the press where he said, “I don't know who Proud Boys are, but whoever they are, they have to stand down, let law enforcement do their work.”
The Anti-Defamation League tracks extremist groups. It mentions the Proud Boys as violent, nationalistic, misogynistic, and more.
Kanoyton said that mis-spoken words or not, her mind is made up.
“We have got to turn people out to vote, and we have got to vote him out,” she said.