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Donald Trump's campaign manager today defended her candidates outreach to African-American voters, saying he "deserves credit" for doing so.

"This conversation has to be had, Kellyanne Conway said on Good Morning America, referring to Trump's recent remarks that included his suggestion that black Americans are "living in poverty."

Usually, Republican nominees are not bold enough to go into communities of color and compete for all ears and all votes. Mr. Trump deserves credit, she added.

She also criticized Hillary Clinton's relationship with the black community, suggesting that her policies would not help them. "Her policies have left many people behind," she told co-host George Stephanopoulos.

Clinton has held an overwhelming advantage among black voters in recent polls.

Conway also addressed Trump's characterization of Clinton as a "bigot."

"Hillary Clinton is a bigot who sees people of color only as votes, not as human beings worthy of a better future, Trump told a mostly white crowd at Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson, Mississippi, earlier this week.

Discussing the widespread criticism of his remarks, Conway said this morning, "Have you seen what this man has been called on a regular basis?"

The interview also covered Trump's immigration plan, the details of which have been questioned in recent days, after the Republican nominee appeared to soften his stance on the issue.

She suggested that some of the confusion around how Trump would execute his immigration plan stemmed from its scope, and the degree to which it represented a new phenomenon.

"This has never been tried on such a scale," she said.

Conway referred to the record-setting number of deportations conducted by President Obama as a precedent for how Trump would deal with the issue, and added that Trump would provide "absolutely no amnesty."

He's "going to build a wall, and protect the [American] worker," she said.

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Donald Trump 'Deserves Credit' for African-American ...

Trump talked Wednesday to The New York Times about his campaign's effort to hone its message for the general election after his disruptive run during the primaries. Since introducing a new leadership team on his campaign last week, Trump has given speeches (mostly) guided by a teleprompter, and has largely avoided the kind of controversies that buffeted his campaign throughout much of the summer.

In the interview, the GOP nominee candidly acknowledged the need for a coherent message, and said he recognizes the advantages of a more disciplined pitch.

"I have been staying on message more now because, ultimately, I'm finding that I do better with voters, do better in the polls, when I'm on message," he said.

But Trump also suggested that he's reluctant to abandon the unconventional approach that sparked his rise last year. And while he values the discipline instilled by his new top aides -- he praised new campaign manager Kellyanne Conway -- Trump made it clear he would continue to call the shots.

"Ultimately, I said I want to do this my way. I had 80 days at the time, and I want to do it my way," he said.

Trump also told the paper that he though it takes "more talent to do freethinking rallies," as opposed to reading off a script from a prompter.

Despite the strategic shift, Trump insisted he will stay on the attack. "If people hit me, I will certainly hit back," he said. "That will never change."

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Donald Trump: 'I want to do this my way' - CNNPolitics.com

A senior Trump adviser characterized the strategy as "part of an ongoing conversation" and said the campaign is "looking forward."

Some of the effort has already been evident.

Trump spent much of last week making a pitch directly to African-American voters, though his choice of words was still criticized at times.

Asking black voters, "what the hell do you have to lose," Trump made the case that he and Republicans would be better for black Americans than Democrats, who have historically been overwhelmingly favored by minority voters.

Trump has previously delivered his message to mostly white audiences in predominantly white suburbs, drawing criticism. On Wednesday night, however, Trump will hold a rally in Jackson, Mississippi, a city that is roughly 80% black, according to Census data.

Trump has also discussed openness to "softening" his tone on immigration, after a hard-line position that put him to the far right of the spectrum helped buoy his candidacy in the primaries.

That change in tone is interpreted as a move to try to improve his standing with Latino voters, a growing demographic.

Trump met last weekend with a Hispanic advisory council, and this week will meet with a roundtable of African-American and Hispanic fellows with the GOP's Republican Leadership Initiative.

Trump has brought on new campaign leadership in the past week, parting ways with former Chairman Paul Manafort and bringing in Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway as campaign manager and Breitbart executive Steve Bannon as chief executive.

One of his early endorsers among his former opponents, Ben Carson, has been a high-profile African-American voice for Trump, and Carson's business manager Armstrong Williams confirmed that the retired neurosurgeon would help in the new outreach effort.

"He fully recognizes that he's probably not going to win the majority, anywhere near the majority of African-American votes, because of tradition. However, after you enact the right policies," Carson told CNN's Brianna Keilar on Wednesday. "I think people are going to be more interested in things that work ... and I think it's going to be an exciting time in America when that happens."

Williams said the Trump campaign would be making a concerted effort to visit black churches, and added that Trump and Carson are also planning a trip to visit disadvantaged neighborhoods in Detroit.

"They will be visiting black churches, and it's important to visit black churches because black churches have always been a pinnacle of the community," Williams said, adding those kinds of visits can help boost Trump's credibility among African-Americans.

When Carson first endorsed Trump during the primaries they often touted their plans to reach out to minority voters and campaign in areas where Republicans don't usually campaign, Williams said, and Trump felt like he already had a base of support within the black community and that his business background had given him some credibility there. But Trump didn't foresee that he would be cast as a racist.

"What he could not anticipate is there would be a narrative pushed by the Democratic Party and the media that somehow he was a racist. They sort of redefined him to the point that a lot of the support that he thought he had, he began to realize was not there," Williams said.

Williams said Trump's new campaign leadership support the outreach, and acknowledges it carries risks. But he said Trump is doing it because he wants to.

"With the days left in the campaign, think about this, he's making an investment that could possibly not generate a great return," Williams said. "What's the best case scenario? Could he get four, five or 10 (percent)? ... It's a principled position for him."

Not everyone in the Trump campaign is convinced the candidate can make a credible pitch to minority voters with less than 90 days until the election.

One Trump adviser said Trump already has to battle the perception that he is a racist and added that his hiring Steve Bannon could only make that more difficult. Bannon has been criticized for allegedly using racist rhetoric during his tenure at Breitbart. And the website has been accused creating a haven for white nationalist rhetoric.

"Doesn't that eventually undermine whatever minority outreach 'strategy' you come up with?" the adviser said.

Bruce LeVell, the executive director of the National Diversity Coalition for Trump, said his group has already spent months on outreach to minority communities that don't traditionally vote Republican.

LeVell said he and other members of the coalition often make their Trump pitch on urban radio stations. Rather than criticizing Obama, LeVell said he focuses on the future and how Trump can help disadvantaged communities.

"Our sale is 'hey, let us try for four years,'" LeVell said. "You've lived 40, 50 years in this community with schools you're having problems with. Give us a chance. Give us four years. If we can't do it, vote us out."

"I think that's going to really resonate with a lot of communities that have been hurting," LeVell said.

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Donald Trump plans minority voter outreach - CNNPolitics.com

Donald Trump today slammed President Obama for not interrupting his vacation to visit Louisiana after deadly flooding in Baton Rouge and parts of Lafayette.

Before meeting volunteers at the Greenwell Springs Baptist Church, north of Baton Rouge, Trump said, "The president says he doesnt want to go, he is trying to get out of a golf game."

"I heard he wants to stay under par while we are under water," said Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council and Trump supporter, who met with Trump at the church.

Trump then hit Obama's golfing game: "He will never be under par."

The White House said Obama has been receiving a series of briefings on the situation in Louisiana while on vacation in Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts.

The Republican presidential candidate and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, landed in Louisiana today, and and spent their morning meeting with local officials, volunteers and the National Guard and touring the flood damage.

Trump told ABC News Tom Llamas that he came to Louisiana because he wants to help out.

At one stop, Trump and Pence helped unload a truck of toys.

"Ive had a great history with Louisiana. They need a lot of help," Trump said, addressing reporters after helping. "Whats happened here is incredible. Nobody understands how bad it is. Its really incredible. So, Im just here to help."

One man who was affected by the flood, Jeff Nolan from Denham Springs, Louisiana, said it meant a lot for Trump to visit Louisiana.

I didnt lose anything compared to what a lot of people lost, Nolan told ABC News. Im OK. Its materialistic things. They can be replaced.

Donald Trumps the way to wake us up, Nolan said. Hes waking America up. Hes got to get busy. Americas got to get behind him. Without America getting behind Donald Trump, were going to lose. And were going to lose bigger than this flood ever did.

Pence, along with his wife Karen and daughter Charlotte, arrived before Trump this morning and received a briefing on the damage.

Pence told ABC News the volunteers they met are incredibly inspiring.

These volunteers are incredibly inspiring but the American people need to know that Louisiana needs help, Pence urged. Volunteers, support for the Red Cross, support to the charities like Samaritans Purse that are coming along side these vulnerable families and were just here to help tell that story and very inspired by it.

Thursday night, while campaigning in Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump took a moment to send condolences to Louisiana, a state he said is very, very special to him.

Our prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones, and we send them our deepest condolences, Trump said. Though words cannot express the sadness one feels at times like this, I hope everyone in Louisiana knows that our country is praying for them and standing with them to help them in these difficult hours.

The flooding in Louisiana has left 13 people dead and displaced thousands from their homes.

A state of emergency has been declared by Gov. John Bel Edwards.

"Gov. Edwards wasn't informed of the Trump campaign's visit to the state or the schedule," according to a statement from the Democratic governor's office. "We welcome them to Louisiana, but not for a photo-op. Instead we hope theyll consider volunteering or making a sizable donation to the LA Flood Relief Fund to help the victims of this storm."

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Donald Trump Slams President Obama for Vacationing Instead of ...

"This morning Paul Manafort offered, and I accepted, his resignation from the campaign," Trump said. "I am very appreciative for his great work in helping to get us where we are today, and in particular his work guiding us through the delegate and convention process. Paul is a true professional and I wish him the greatest success."

It's the second high profile departure from the top of Trump's campaign structure after campaign manager Corey Lewandowski left the operation earlier this summer. A new campaign manager and executive were named earlier this week.

A Trump source said Manafort told Trump he was becoming a distraction and he wanted to end that. A senior Trump campaign aide added later Friday that Trump lost faith in Manafort a couple of weeks ago, feeling like Manafort wasn't quick enough with answers to his questions, instead offering to look into an issue or get him a report on it. Trump doesn't want people around him who he thinks are moving too slowly, the aide said.

"Trump and he don't have chemistry," the aide said.

A friend of Manafort's told CNN Saturday that he wasn't going to take orders or relinquish power to Conway or Bannon. The friend added that's not a knock on either of them, but just "how (Manafort) rolls."

The departure also comes as Manafort is defending himself from investigations into his extensive lobbying history overseas, particularly in the Ukraine, where he represented pro-Russian interests. Manafort has been beating back reports from multiple media outlets in recent days over his ethics, which have been egged on by a Clinton campaign eager to highlight Trump's ties to the Kremlin.

A pair of Republican congressman have also called for investigations into Manafort's business past.

"I want to know what money he got from a pro-Russian organization in the Ukraine," Rep. Sean Duffy of Wisconsin told CNN's Chris Cuomo on Tuesday.

"I think Donald Trump ought to really investigate this and where his chief adviser, what his association with the Russians are," Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois told CNN's Jake Tapper earlier this week.

Trump and his running mate Mike Pence were in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Friday morning, touring flood damage and meeting with residents there.

Manafort, a longtime Washington fixture, was originally brought on in the spring to save Trump from a defeat at the Republican convention should Trump have failed to win enough delegates to clinch a first-ballot nomination. Yet his role grew to serve as Trump's connection to the GOP establishment, telling Republican elders that their presidential nominee would run a traditional campaign that would not imperil down-ballot candidates.

After warring behind the scenes for months with Lewandowski, who had little regard for Manafort, Lewandoswki was fired earlier this summer. That decision by Trump seemed to be an embrace of Manafort's strategy.

Manafort installed many of his associates in the upper echelons of the campaign, signaled his support for an allied super PAC and crushed attempts to embarrass Trump at the Republican convention in Cleveland.

Yet as his poll numbers tumbled, Trump decisively reversed course, installing a media provacateur -- Bannon -- as his campaign's CEO. Manafort's role had been diminished, and Bannon is expected to encourage Trump to embrace the hyper-aggressive attitude that won him the primary.

The Trump campaign said Friday that Rick Gates, Manafort's deputy, would now serve as its liaison to the Republican National Committee.

The Clinton campaign looked to use Manafort's resignation to tie Trump and Vladimir Putin together.

"Paul Manafort's resignation is a clear admission that the disturbing connections between Donald Trump's team and pro-Kremlin elements in Russia and Ukraine are untenable," Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said in a statement. "You can get rid of Manafort, but that doesn't end the odd bromance Trump has with Putin."

Trump's son Eric said Friday that while Manafort had been instrumental in steering the campaign through the GOP convention, the former chairman's business past had begun to detract from his father's messages.

"I think my father didn't want to be, you know, distracted by whatever things Paul was dealing with," Eric Trump told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo. "You know, Paul was amazing. But again, my father just didn't want to have the distraction looming over the campaign and quite frankly looming over all the issues that Hillary's facing right now."

Lewandowski said Friday that he had nothing to do with the change, but said it marked a much-needed course correction before Labor Day.

"Well, look it's obviously a difficult thing for anybody when they change jobs and have a position that they've been so invested in for a long time and really put their heart and soul into something, to not be part of it, particularly when you're this close," Lewandowski told CNN's Kate Bolduan on "At This Hour." "But what the most important thing is is this is a reminder to me and the American public that Donald Trump will do anything it takes to win."

CNN's Chris Frates contributed to this report.

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Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort resigns - cnn.com