DETROIT _ When Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump comes to Detroit Saturday in search of votes from a more diverse audience, he will have had a few days to prepare his answers to questions from Bishop Wayne T. Jackson.
Officials at Great Faith Ministries International confirmed Thursday night that they submitted the questions they plan to ask Trump to his campaign so he can prepare in advance.
Jackson told reporters this week that he plans to ask Trump if he's a Christian, a racist and if he believes in the holy Scripture. But the more detailed list of questions also has been sent to the campaign.
Such advance notice of what's to come in a crucial and first interview geared to a black audience is rare, according to campaign and journalism experts.
"It's not unusual for them to ask, but it would be unusual to give it to them," said Chuck Stokes, editorial and public affairs director for WXYZ-TV. "Most campaigns are savvy enough not to ask because journalists won't do it."
Stokes noted that the interview on Jackson's Impact Network, a Christian television network that was founded and is operated by Jackson, is not the typical setting for a candidate.
"Hard-core journalists know that it's a no-no. But this is not a typical journalistic setting," he said. "It's put on by people who are pastors not journalists and maybe they have different rules."
Liz Boyd, who was the spokesperson for former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, said she would ask reporters the general gist of information they were looking for when a reporter requested an interview with the governor.
"There are times when I would tell a reporter that they could ask whatever they want, but it would be helpful to know what you're looking for," she said. "But to get a list of questions, I think that is very rare."
Trump is expected to attend the church service at Great Faith Ministries, but not address the congregation. He'll then do the interview with Jackson. The interview is not open to the public or the media and won't be broadcast for at least a week.
The church service begins at 11 a.m and is open to the congregation and the public with seating available on a first come, first served basis. Those planning to attend should consider that security checks will be enforced and could delay the process of entering the church.
