In a desperate attempt to pander to Black voters, presidential candidate Donald Trump handpicked Don King to introduce him before African-American pastors in Ohio on Wednesday.

But as the eccentric boxing promoter took the podium at the New Spirit Revival Center in his native Cleveland, things quickly became bizarre and awkward.

While recounting advice he once told Michael Jackson, King dropped the N-word, seemingly as an accidental slip. And when he did, Trump grinned widely, while two of his white cronies laughed behind him. Pretty disgusting.

“I told Michael Jackson, I said, 'If you are poor, you are a poor Negro — I would use the N-word — 'if you are rich, you are a rich Negro,'" King said. 

As King, 85, continued, he stumbled in his speech, letting loose the N-word.

“If you are a talented intellectual, you are an intellectual Negro," King said. "If you are a dancing and sliding and gliding n*****, I mean Negro...."

As King regained his footing, he said, "We need Donald Trump, especially Black people," before introducing Trump as the "next president of the United States" and repeating The Donald's name several times like he was promoting a big fight.

This is painful to see. Watch King give his speech while Trump and his buddies have a good time.

Trump and King go back many years to the 1980s as the promoter would hold prized boxing bouts at Trump's Atlantic City, New Jersey, properties.

BET Sports News — Get the latest news and information about African-Americans in sports, including weekly recaps, celebrity news and photos of your favorite Black athletes.