Did you just catch Jason Johnson on Nicolle Wallace, MSNBC? Long, passionate screed...

[Hekate]

Really a must watch. Rewind your DVR!

[LonePirate]

1. What was the subject? America? The election? The climate? Something else?

[Hekate]

5. Sorry, still watching. Black voters. Absolute emergency to get Trump out.

Buttegieg -- the issue is bigoted white voters, and how GOP will run his wedding pictures to bring them out. And he looks so young - can he really take in Trump?

Rev Al -- black voters in Chicago just elected a lesbian woman with a white partner.

[guillaumeb]

28. Al Sharpton is correct.

And the out lesbian won every ward.

Barack Obama also looked very young in 2008.

[Dream Girl]

57. Chicago.

Much more sophisticated than the South and even places like Cleveland.

[a kennedy]

7. Basically was about the African American vote and DEMS should be listening to

their concerns. They are scared to death of tRump and they want a candidate they know will put up a fight and not let him get re-elected. Obviously said it much better then I can say it.

[UniteFightBack]

37. Well looks like white people in the early states don't care who AA's are backing -Biden. nt

[a kennedy]

2. Yes.......very, interesting, AND Dems better LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAID......

[Skidmore]

3. I am watching him

and I don't think it's screed. It's what my husband and his friends say when they talk 2020.

[Hekate]

8. Long, impassioned, statement. Too long to fit all those words into my header.

[Skidmore]

11. I caught it all.

I hear conversations like this frequently.

[NewJeffCT]

4. Who is Jason Johnson

for those of us in the office at work

[Hekate]

14. Sorry, I really don't know except he's a PhD & has been on before. African American. ...

Nicolle read his tweet that said that MSM will not discuss what he and his black cohorts are talking about urgently: that they are really afraid of Trump & his racism, and more than anything in the world they want a candidate who will beat him. (IOW, Forget the high-minded discussions about Medicare for all, Trump must go.)

Nicolle gave him a call as soon as she read that and said come on air, here's the mic.

[NewJeffCT]

16. I've been saying making Trump's racism and overall unfitness for office

the central part of any campaign - Tim Wise the Democratic strategist said that in regards to David Duke in Louisiana last summer

[Hekate]

22. This is what Jason Johnson is saying, pretty much

[SharonClark]

25. He's a politicial analysis, works for The Root, and is on MSNBC 2 or 3 times a day.

[DeminPennswoods]

31. He's a journalism/communications professor at Morgan State

but also is the politics editor at The Root and works as an analyst for MSNBC on the side.

[unitedwethrive]

6. It sounded like he said that African Americans won't vote for Buttigeig because he is gay.

He later tried to clean in up, but didn't do a great job. Rev Al tried to help by pointing out the AAs elected a lesbian in Chicago.

[Hekate]

9. See my post 5 above

[Skidmore]

10. He said that black voters

do not have confidence that Sanders or Buttegieg can beat Trump.

[Hortensis]

13. Religion's pretty strong in a lot of AA, higher percentages than

white Americans overall and also overall more devout and more conservative than religious Democrats as a whole.

Some of the biggest AA churches in the country are tolerant and accepting of gay people to varying degrees (especially toward their own), BUT have not taken the step of accepting gay marriage.

This wedge issue could be strong enough to splinter the monolithic black voting bloc, which, again, also includes most AA conservatives. We really need to protect our coalition of voters.

Mayor Pete's impressive, but he's mayor of a smallish city and could use national experience, or even running a state as a governor (!), and he's America's first serious gay candidate for president. Perhaps this should be enough at this time.

Both LGBTQ and AA are in far more immediate danger than most if we lose this election. The Republicans are already persecuting LGBTQ and AA in vulnerable positions, such as needing justice in courts, and that is NOTHING to what they'll do to them if they get more power. In politics as in football, but far more, ignoring the opposition to bull straight ahead is almost always a losing move.

[unitedwethrive]

15. Then maybe it's time they evolve?

People can't use religion as an excuse forever - why not look at the behavior of the person they worship, not the very few words written down 300 years later.

[Hortensis]

17. The stakes are enormous, and being willing to lose

to what the Republicans have become is the very antithesis of principled behavior.

No matter what might or might not happen to you personally, many, many others would suffer the results of indifference to consequences masquerading as morality.

[Wellstone ruled]

40. The Test will be the

final results from the Nevada Caucus. We are a very diverse State. Being Clark County being the Largest portion of the State's Population,the final Vote tallies will be the road map as to how,when where and why people vote the way they do.

[Hortensis]

61. Yes, and thank goodness. IA and NH matter, of course,

but it feels as if we have to wait to get past them before we can get an idea of what might be happening in America.

[Wellstone ruled]

65. Yes,same old sh*t just four years later.

[MontanaMama]

32. Actually,I thought I heard him say

That 60% of women in the military are African-American. And that fact might be a natural draw for Pete Buttigieg because he is a veteran himself. Trump was able to carve off a lot of retired military and active military votes in 2016. He said whichever candidate could take some of those military votes back, would be ahead of the game. I think he’s correct.

[UniteFightBack]

39. And he said they'll break for Bloomberg. Black folks want Biden so y'all need to get on board. !!nt

[Hekate]

12. Nicolle looks so strained these days

Just an observation.

[Hekate]

18. Regarding the military, Dr Johnson says: 40% of the women in the military are African American...

(Did you know that? I didn't know that!) You don't think those women are the base of the Dem Party? Everything about the Democratic Party is the base, and the base is African American.

Also (still on the military) the black community is very aware of Trump's love for war criminals ( "war fighters" ), and his cruelty in locking up brown children at the border. He's not locking up white children in cages. They are very aware that this cruelty will be extended to them.

Whew!

[Iliyah]

19. AAs and other POC knows that t-rump is a dangerous racist . . .

t-rump is destroying the country. He is a divider. And he does not care about the American people overall. He is a fake person and evil. AAs are surprised that the so called Christians think he was chosen by God. It is surreal. Majority of the older AAs will vote, they care about their families future.

Getting t-rump out of office is extremely important. They know that. They will vote.

At this point in time they believe that VP Biden can do the job.

[kentuck]

33. If you say Pepsi, he says Coke. If you say night, he says day...

It's never about uniting the country behind any idea. It has to be divisive. It cannot be healthy for our country or society. It does not come to a good end.

Always critical of something or someone. Hateful and revengeful.

Promotes violence. Paranoid to an extreme.

Always looking for a criminal way to resolve his perceived problems.

A national security threat, in many eyes.

[spanone]

20. K&R...

[Hekate]

21. Regarding Mayor Pete: more than anything, he's too young. Not too gay, too young...

And the fear of the black community (according to Dr Johnson) is that nominating him will galvanize the bigoted WHITE voters.

That is different that what is being portrayed, isn't it?

[marlakay]

23. But he would also galvanize

The youth and maybe get them to vote for first time. Pete is more moderate but he’s also for legalizing pot.

I was surprised today in my senior political class that was full of mostly Biden supporters that they spoke highly of Pete and wouldn’t mind voting for him if Biden is out.

This is a class of about 75 with most over 75. I was pleased that only a few mentioned him being gay. Most thought he was smart, calm like Obama.

[BlueIdaho]

27. The last time the youth vote showed up en mass

We got McGovern as a candidate and we got crushed in the General Election.

[marlakay]

29. That was a very long time ago

And the world is completely different now with tech age, climate change, etc.

[BlueIdaho]

30. If I had to choose between the support

Of the very young and first time voters - or voters over 45 to win an election. I’ll take the over 45s every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

[H2O Man]

47. I'd prefer both.

That's how Obama won.

[BlueIdaho]

49. Yup

But if I had to choose... I’d rather depend on the youth vote alone.

[hedda_foil]

38. Seniors like Pete but millenials and younger don't.

[Iliyah]

24. I would say the younger blacks are ok with him if he became the front runner. . .

The older blacks, no.

The bigoted whites came out against Pres O and he prevailed. He had the young, middle, and older AAs, along with younger voters overall.

Besides POC voters, the young voters are a block to be reckon with.

[Laelth]

54. I honestly GET this argument.

But the past 60 years prove that it is a misguided argument. It appears that Democrats win the office of the president when they run young people.

JFK
James Earl Carter, Jr.
Bill Clinton
Barack Obama

Our recent history shows that our young candidates are more likely to win.

For what that's worth.

-Laelth

[coti]

63. I also see this as correct. Dems win with charisma, and youth correlates better with charisma. nt

[cilla4progress]

26. I was afraid I heard (corner of my ear...

at the beginning) something about going to the barber shop, etc. and hearing folks, I'm assuming POC?, make more positive statements about the SOTU, drumpf, etc.

Will re-listen.

[dem4decades]

35. He was talking about Trump's super bowl ad on prison reform

Saying Trump is running ads on helping POC and the Democrats aren't addressing them directly. And it helps Trump so the Democrats had better do something about it. I'm starting to like Bloomberg because he has the cash and the talent to get a message ot.

[cilla4progress]

41. Yep.

Just heard it.

Drumpfs making a more concerted play for the AA vote than Dems are.

Pathetic.

But yah Bloomberg. Gack.

[UniteFightBack]

43. Yes he said he heard well dump freed a few people and Kim Kardashian was involved. People are

buying dumps lies.

[cilla4progress]

34. Love

Jason Johnson.

[DeminPennswoods]

36. He talked about how absolutely terrified AfAms are of Trump

being re-elected and how he is hearing Bloomberg's name come up, uninvited, in conversations he is hearing in his travels to Black History month and MLK day celebration events. He said the regular media was missing the story because the reporters sent out to interview AfAms get a polite interview, but not the whole story. I guess this is an assignment for Lester Holt or Geoff Bennett or Craig Melvin, who is from S Car.

He also said the AfAm community is willing to overlook "stop and frisk" if they believe Bloomberg can beat Trump. They don't mind Buttigieg, but fear Rs will just run ads of his wedding photo that will gin up Trump's hater base.

[cilla4progress]

46. Great summary!

What I got out of it was that I need to find a balance between my own sense of complacency as an old white woman with a pension, and the fear he invokes in POC, immigrants, young people. I need to use it to move me.

[Hekate]

67. Thanks. He really tried to hammer this point home to anyone listening...

All of us DUers are on high alert, but certain portions of the population are really getting triggered and I completely understand that.

Ever since that godless, soulless, bastard started ripping little kids from their mothers' arms and caging them, I have been expecting African Americans to publicly draw a direct parallel to the days of the slave trade.

As for the undeniable rise of fascism, I am living with someone (i.e. my husband) who is being seriously triggered because his parents were Holocaust survivors.

There's a lot of people who feel this threat at a cellular level. They are called the Democratic Base.

[hedda_foil]

42. Earlier this afternoon I realized that it may have to be Bloomberg.

I adore Elizabeth and I don't care for Bloomberg at all. Plus I hate the idea of rewarding a billionaire by letting him buy the election. HATE it! Yet, I'm starting to think he may be our only real shot at getting the IMPOTUS out.

I'm an almost 75 year old Jewish lady who teaches seniors history and I'm terrified of the SOB getting a second term. I don't think any of us are safe. He hates everyone who doesn't worship him and he's capable of outdoing Hitler to get rid of his perceived enemies.

[UniteFightBack]

44. What about Biden? I just don't UNDERSTAND. nt

[hedda_foil]

45. He doesn't have it. If he did, there's no way Buttigieg could have beaten him.

He couldn't even come in third. And he's way behind in New Hampshire. African Americans will go with whoever they believe is most capable of winning. His SC firewall is flammable just as Hillary's rust belt firewall was.

[UniteFightBack]

48. Thanks for feeding into dumps corrupt plan. He's leading by the widest margin in the swing states.

He would of 'had it' had democrats rallied around him when they saw dump trying and I guess succeeding at sullying him.

Shaking my head

[DeminPennswoods]

51. Biden's been running for president since 1988

I think Buttigieg actually got it right when a reporter asked "why him?". He said Dems who have won have been fresh/new/different, like Carter in 1976, Bill Clinton in 1992 and Obama in 2008.

[UniteFightBack]

52. The lack of loyalty is astonishing. nt

[hedda_foil]

53. Pre primary polls are worth next to nothing once the primaries start. Sorry but it's true.

If he had it, democrats would have rallied around him. That's the way it works, not the reverse. Sorry, of course it's just my opinion, but I've seen it since he announced. I've been around a very long time -- born in mid-1945. I've been a lifelong economic and cultural liberal in an almost religious sense. I don't always pick a winner but every time I've felt early on in the primaries that the person who wound up as our nominee wouldn't win -- ever since 1968 -- without a single exception, they've lost.

I've always voted Dem and always voted for our candidate no matter what. I've even worked for many of them, but that spidey sense keeps on being right. Humphrey, McGovern, Carter in '80, Mondale, Dukakis, Kerry, Hillary. I did think Gore would win but he did. I was both a ward chair (with 9 highly Dem precincts in Jan Schakowski's district) and one of the national leaders of the recount for Kerry. I knew from the start that IMPOTUS was pure fascist from the top of his rug to the tips of his toes and I worked like hell for Hillary. But from the moment she announced her candidacy, I had that old sinking feeling about her. The same thing happened to me with Biden and I've kept it to myself until right now.

If he's meant to win the nomination he will but it doesn't look good for him today.

[UniteFightBack]

55. Hey ya know what got me excited and thought 'Joe has it' him winning by the largest margin

in the swing states and dump willing to risk his fake presidency to take him down.

Sorry that you and many other Democrats it seems need more. Joe is the best candidate to beat dump...and y'all are letting him go without even a peep and WHY? He's not exciting enough?

AGain if fucking Santa Claus was winning by the largest margin in swing states I'd be excited to back him.

But Bloomberg has it???

Just look at this thread. Warren supporters right and left willing to abandon her for Bloomberg..oh we must be pragmatic. If that were the case you'd vote for Joe and would of backed him long ago.

He was OK as Obama's VP but now Democrats desert him ..AND AFTER dumps corrupt scheme? That should of garnered him support ! I am thou thoroughly disgusted.

[Hekate]

62. Thanks, Hedda, for your work and for sharing your experience

Things are so dark right now

[hedda_foil]

66. They are, hekate. It's the darkest time in my memory.

[brush]

56. Don't count Biden out yet. South Carolina's primary could be a win for him.

The two nearly all-white voter bases of Iowa and NH don't tell the true story of what will happen in SC, NV and Super Tuesday were there is diversity in the voter base.

If South Carolina or Nevada were first the results would be completely different so don't be so quick to write Biden off.

[OnDoutside]

59. I think you could be right. Pete put it all on Iowa and NH, and had invested heavily in putting

staffers on the ground, whereas Biden didn't thinking that his firewall was SC especially. That said, MSM are hitting him relentlessly in an effort to undermine him, even they know he wasn't targeting Iowa especially.

[renate]

50. you and me both

I've loved her since before she got into the race, and I hope she has a big part of the next administration. But I think we have to be pragmatic. Trump is intimidated by Bloomberg because he's a real billionaire and Trump is the shit on the bottom of Bloomberg's shoe, and he knows it. And Bloomberg is from the New York City that never gave Trump any respect.

Idealism can come back later once we have a democracy again.

[ooky]

58. Missed it. I was watching PBS throwing positive spin on Trump's SOTU lies.

Also extolling his "increasing popularity" re "the Gallup poll".

[USALiberal]

60. Why not post more info??? Nt

[Hekate]

64. First, read the whole thread. I kept adding. Second, I am not a transcriptionist devoting my life to

Last edited Sat Feb 8, 2020, 01:02 AM - Edit history (1)

...doing nothing but keyboarding TV shows for online denizens. Third, I took a couple of hours break after Nicolle's show to shop at Trader Joe's and stock up on frozen veg to go with the main dishes I am cooking and freezing preparatory to my surgery in a week and a half. Fourth, go to MSNBC online and try to get a repeat of Nicolle Wallace's show. It's worth it.

ETA: Sorry if I was testy.