The Denver Post notes that Sanders does not make an effort to get to know the people who are important in the day to day operation of black Democrats. Elizabeth Warren, for example reached down to acknowledge a winning candidate in Georgia. Sanders focus on economics ignores the racial tension that many black feel impact their economics

https://www.denverpost.com/2018/04/06/is-bernie-sanders-running-for-president-2020/

We will see if he can adapt in the run up to 2020.

Edit to add:

An exchange noted in the WaPo article notes a core problem, Sanders is reluctant to talk about race.

Seated with Lumumba, the senator was asked about the marginalization of black LGBTQ citizens. He shifted the question to people “you didn’t talk about” like “people working two or three jobs” and “people who spend 50 percent of their limited income on housing.” He repeatedly turned discussion of fighting racism to fighting poverty.

MLK was able to talk about race and economics. Sanders seems stuck.

Johnson is obviously free to express his opinion.

The data can be viewed as showing that Trump benefits from a decline in unemployment that began under Obama.

https://www.factcheck.org/2018/01/trump-takes-undue-credit-black-unemployment/

It is clear that blacks aren’t a monolith. It is also clear that the majority of blacks in the United States do not have a favorable opinion of Donald Trump or Republicans. Pointing out that more black people have positive feelings for Thurgood Marshall then for Clarence Thomas is not claiming to speak for all blacks, but simply stating a fact. Johnson has free speech. His comment will be challenged. Ben Carson was a hero, until he began criticizing Barack Obama. Carson thinks the Pyramids were used for grain storage. He excuses away Trump’s racism and incompetence. Carson has gone from hero to joke in most black households.

Differences of opinion are common in the black community. Booker T Washington vs. W.E.B. DuBois and Martin Luther King Jr. Vs. Malcolm X are two examples. Black Lives Matter rejects much of the political party focus emphasis of an Al Sharpton. Diasagreements are common.

There is no need to whisper about Johnson’s comment. The black community will respond. Cornel West criticized Barack Obama. The response from the black community was not positive. Killer Mike appeared on NRA TV to criticize the Parkland students efforts on gun control. Killer Mike received pushback. Free speech is alive and well in the black community. The problem that Carson, Omarosa, Cornel West, and Killer Mike run into is that they are outliers on some issues. It remains to be seen if Johnson’s comment is considered important enough to generate responses from the black community. If the majority of responses from the black community to his comment about Trump impact on black unemployment is negative, and links to those comments are provided, it is simply a reflection of the bulk of the articles. If only a small number of people support Johnson, then that will be observed.

As it stands now, most reviews don’t give Trump major credit for the continuation of the decrease in Black unemployment.

Polifact gives Trump some credit

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2018/jan/30/donald-trump/donald-trump-partly-correct-rejoinder-jay-z/

Vox rejects a major Trump effect

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/18/16902390/trump-black-unemployment-rate-record-decline

ThinkProgress rejects a Trump effect

https://thinkprogress.org/trump-unemployment-black-america-e12eaa60f532/

American Prospect rejects the Trump effect

http://prospect.org/article/setting-record-straight-on-trumps-black-unemployment-boast

American Prospect argues that Presidents don’t matter in unemployment 

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2018/02/01/who-deserves-credit-for-african-american-employment/