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Who is Ellesia Blaque? Black professor hailed as 'badass' for not letting Trump interrupt her during Town Hall

As Trump tried to interrupt her speech about a life of overcoming the odds, battling an inflammatory disease that caused her to be 'uninsurable' from her birth, Blaque asked him to 'please stop' interrupting her

In an ABC News town hall Tuesday, September 15, the president faced questions from the residents of the battleground state of Pennsylvania but perhaps the had the hardest time getting a word across when an African-American woman named Ellesia Blaque made sure that the POTUS heard her entire question before answering. 

As Trump tried to interrupt her passionate speech about a life of overcoming the odds, battling an inflammatory disease called sarcoidosis that caused her to be "uninsurable" from her birth, Blaque, an assistant professor from Philadelphia, politely asked the president to "please stop" interrupting her. "Let me finish my question, sir," Blaque said and continued to recount how she beat her health struggles and went onto to get a Ph.D. She also thanked Obamacare for allowing allowed for people with preexisting conditions to qualify for health care such like people without. 

"Within a 36 to 72 hour period, without my medication, I will be dead. And I want to know what it is that you're going to do to assure that people like me, who work hard, we do everything we're supposed to do, can stay insured? It's not my fault that I was born with this disease," Blaque said. However, Trump disagreed, telling Blaque that he was going to repeal and replace Obamacare, although his administration has failed to do so so far in his first term. "It's a total disaster. You're going to have new health care, and the preexisting condition aspect of it will always be in my plan," Trump said. 

Most of the social media users did not seem that interested in weighing in the healthcare debate so much as applauding Blauque's guts for standing up to Trump and making sure that she got her point across during the town hall. A flurry of reactions followed, hailing her as "boss" and "queen" on Twitter. 

"Sis name is Ellesia Blaque! Sis got a Bachelor Degree. A Master Degree. Oh, and a PHD. She's a Professor. She took him to class. #TrumpTownHall," one wrote, while another said, "OMG that Ellesia Blaque just Stiff armed Trump in real time on this #AbcTownHall so damn amazing!" A third said, "A Black woman shut Donald Trump down when he tried to interrupt her on live TV and I'm HERE for it. Dr. Ellesia Blaque: 'Should pre-existing conditions, which Obamacare brought to fruition, be removed—' TRUMP: 'No!' Blaque: 'Please stop and let me finish my question sir.'"

Many commented that Blaque should be hired by the team of Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden. "Ellesia Blaque needs a voice in Biden’s team. What an inspirational woman!" a user gushed, while another commented, "I can't wait to see the presidential debates. I hope Assistant Professor Ellesia Blaque will join @JoeBiden's debate prep team. I like her brook no nonsense style." A third said, "Not all heroes wear capes, Ellesia Blaque is a BADASS. #TrumpTownHall." Someone else quipped, "Omg Ellesia Blaque is a Boss!! Do t back down and make him squirm!!!!" Another wrote, "'Please let me stop and finish this question, sir.'" -Ellesia Blaque of Philadelphia to Pres. Trump on national TV. Do not interrupt a Philly woman. So proud of my city." A person opined, "I suspect nobody has ever talked to Trump the way Ellesia Blaque did. Stood her ground and sternly told him to not interrupt her. Bravo!"

Politico reporter Bill Scher said, "Going into the town hall, [Ellesia Blaque] said, she was 'on the fence' about voting at all in 2020. That's why she qualified as an uncommitted voter by ABC's standard. But now, she said, 'I'm going to vote for Biden.' Trump 'reanimated me to vote.'"