.
. >>> WELCOME BACK TO "HARDBALL."
IN 2018, LAST YEAR, GEORGIA
DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIALER NA
TOMORROW CANDIDATE STACEY ABRAMS
SEEMED CLOSE TO WINNING THE
GOVERNORSHIP TO BRIAN KEVIN BY
ONLY A NOTCH MORE THAN 1%.
IN SETTING A STATE WIDE RECORD
FOR TOTAL WIDE VOTES.
NOW SHE IS URGING THE PRATTIC
PARTY NATIONALLY TO NOT OVERLOOK
GEORGIA TO STATE A PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE CAN WIN IN 2020.
A CAMPAIGN PLAYBOOK RELEASED
JUST TODAY, HER TEAM WRITE,
BUILDING A STRONGMENT-RACIAL,
MULTI--ETHNIC COALITION WITH
HISTORIC TURNOUT LEVELS, WHILE
MAKING MEANINGFUL, MARGINAL
IMPROVEMENTS ON WHITE VOTERS’
SUPPORTER ON THE DOORSTEP OF
VICTORY AND PUTS DEMOCRATS IN A
STRONG FOG BREAK DOWN THAT DOOR
IN 2020.
IN 2020. ADDING, WITH A DIVERSE, GROWING
POPULATION AND RAPIDLY CHANGING
ELECTORATE, GEORGIA IS NOT A
FUTURE, IT’S A NECESSITY.
I AM JOINED BY STACEY ABRAMS,
THE DEMOCRATIC ELECTORATE FOR
GEORGIA AND CHAIR OF FAIR FIGHT.
I NEVER MET YOU.
HAVE YOU THE BEST PRESS OF
ANYBODY I KNOW IN POLITICS.
I WANT TO KNOW THE SECRET TO
YOUR GREATNESS.
YOUR GREATNESS. YOU SEEM LIKE A GREAT PERSON.
SO LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT IT.
I’M GO RIGHT TO THE CHASE HERE
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. THIS THURSDAY NIGHT, WE’RE GOING
TO HAVE A REAL DEBATE, THE TOP
FRONT RUNNERS, BIDEN, WARREN,
SANDERS, BUTE GIG, HARRIS, O --
BUTTIGIEG, HARRIS, THESE ARE THE
TOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR
PRESIDENT, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE
TO HEAR THEM SAY THIS NIGHT IN
DEBATE MEMBERS WATCHING THAT
WOULD SELL IN GEORGIA?
>> WELL, THINK NUMBER ONE I WANT
TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME
TODAY, IT’S AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
I WANT TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT THE LAST NINE
MONTHS, THAT THE RIGHT TO VOTE
IS UNDER ATTACK IN THE UNITED
STATES.
STATES. WE NEED CANDIDATES WHO ARE NOT
ONLY PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT IT
BUT PREPARED TO USE THIS
CAMPAIGN TO ADDRESS IT.
ONE OF THE BENEFIT WAYS TO
ADDRESS A SUPPRESSION IS TO
ENSURE WE TURN OUT AS MANY
VOTERS AS POSSIBLE, VOTER
SUPPRESSION DOESN’T GO AWAY
BECAUSE YOU INCREASE VOTER
TURNOUT.
TURNOUT. IT MAKES IT HARDER TO THWART THE
WILL OF THE PEOPLE, I WANT THAT
TO BE THE MISSION OF EVERY
CANDIDATE ON THAT STAGE AND TO
START GEORGIA.
START GEORGIA. >> TO KILL RECONSTRUCTION AFTER
THE CIVIL WAR, THE CLAN AND
EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE WHITE
SIDE.
SIDE. THE FIGHT DESTROYED THE ABILITY
OF PEOPLE TO VOTE WITH LITERACY
TESTS AND ALL KIND OF VOTES, YOU
HAVE TO PAY TO VOTE THAT SORT OF
THING.
THING. WHAT ARE TECHNIQUES TO KEEP
PEOPLE FROM VOTE SFG.
>> VOTER SUPPRESSION HAS THREE
PIECES TO IT.
ONE IS BEING ABLE TO REGISTER
AND STAY ON THE ROLES.
THAT’S WHY WE HEAR PEOPLE PURGED
FROM KENTUCKY AND OHIO,
SOMETHING THAT
SOMETHING THAT GEORGIA TO AN EXTRAORDINARY
DEGREE IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
THE SECOND IS THE ABILITY TO
CAST A BALLOT.
THAT MEANS THAT YOUR ABSENTEE
BALLOT ARRIVES WHEN YOU APPLY
FOR IT.
FOR IT. IT MEANS THE PRECINCT ISN’T SHUT
DOWN AND IT’S MAKING SURE YOUR
BALLOT IS COUNTED.
THAT’S WHY ELECTION SECURITY IS
SUCH AN ISSUE.
THAT’S WHY EVERYBODY IS ANGRY
THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,
PARTICULARLY THE SENATE, REFUSES
TO TAKE ACTION ON IT.
IT’S MAKING SURE THAT THE
ABSENTEE BALLOTS ARE NOT
DISCARDED FOR THINGS LIKE
SIGNATURE MISMATCHES.
SIGNATURE MISMATCHES. BEING ABLE TO CAST A BALLOT,
HAVE THE BALLOT COUNTED AND STAY
ON THE ROLES, THAT’S VOTER
SUPPRESSION.
SUPPRESSION. >> HOW DO YOU WIN THAT FIGHT?
FOR EXAMPLE, HOW DO YOU WIN THE
FIGHT ON THE SIGNATURE THING?
GROWING UP IN PHILADELPHIA, IF
YOUR SIGNATURE’S NOT EXACTLY THE
SAME WAY AS ON THE STREET LIST,
THEY CAN CHALLENGE IT.
THAT’S THE WAY THE GAME PLAYS
AND THE GUY RUNNING AGAINST YOU
WILL DO THAT.
HOW DO YOU FIGHT THAT?
ON YOUR PETITIONS.
I’M TALKING ABOUT ON YOUR
PETITIONS.
PETITIONS. YOU PUT IN YOUR PETITIONS AND
THEY’RE NOT EXACTLY THE SAME,
THEY GET CHALLENGED.
>> WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IN GEORGIA
AND WHAT HAPPENED IN FLORIDA IS
THAT THE SIGNATURE MISMATCH IS
NOT LAWFUL.
NOT LAWFUL. WE HAD A FEDERAL COURT THAT
STRUCK DOWN THE DISCARDING OF
BALLOTS FOR THAT REGION.
MY SIGNATURE DOESN’T MATCH FROM
CVS TO KROGER.
THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN AMERICA
SHOULD BE SACK CROW SANK FOR
EVERY ELIGIBLE AMERICAN.
THAT’S WHY WE’VE LAUNCHED FAIR
FIGHT 2020.
FIGHT 2020. WE WANT EVERY STATE TO BE IN
COMPETITION BUT WE WANT PEOPLE
TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND YOU CAN
PICK UP TWO SENATE SEATS AND WE
CAN FLIP THE STATEHOUSE AS WELL
AS TAKING AND ADDING ANOTHER
CONGRESSIONAL SEAT.
CONGRESSIONAL SEAT. THOSE ARE EXTRAORDINARY
OPPORTUNITIES.
OPPORTUNITIES. >> LET’S SEE THE DEMOCRATIC
TICKET NEXT YEAR GOING INTO
NOVEMBER IS BIDEN AND ABRAMS AND
THAT’S THE TICKET GOING INTO
GEORGIA JUST AS AN EXAMPLE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I’M DOING HERE.
>> I SEE IT.
>> I SEE WHAT YOU’RE DOING.
HOW WOULD YOU TELL A VOTER WHO
WALKS IN A VOTING BOOTH, THEY’VE
BEEN VOTING FOR YEARS, IN THE
SAME VOTING BOOTH AND THEY WALK
IN AND THEIR NAME IS NOT ON THE
LIST AND IT’S BEEN PURGED
BECAUSE THEY HAD THE SAME NAME
AS A FELON.
WHAT DO YOU TELL THAT PERSON TO
DO AT THAT MOMENT?
>> WELL, NUMBER ONE WE WANT FAIR
FIGHT 2020.ORG SO WE CAN STOP
THAT FROM HAPPENING TO BEGIN
WITH.
WITH. WE’RE WORKING IN 20 BATTLEGROUND
STATES INCLUDING GEORGIA.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE
AND THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THE
REMEDIES ARE.
REMEDIES ARE. TECHNICALLY, THAT PERSON COULD
FILE A PROVISIONAL BALLOT BUT WE
WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT BEFORE
YOU EVEN GET TO THAT STEP THAT
YOU HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION AND
ALL THE SUPPORT YOU NEED AND WE
KNOW THAT IN THE 20 BATTLEGROUND
STATES WHERE WE’VE LAUNCHED
FAIRFIGHT2020.ORG WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE
LOCAL INFORMATION AND
INFORMATION THEY NEED TO FIGHT
BACK AGAINST VOTER SUPPRESSION.
>> LET’S TALK ABOUT POPULATION
GROWTH.
GROWTH. THAT’S THE INTERESTING PIECE.
A LOT OF THESE NORTHERN
DISTRICTS LIKE UP IN NEW YORK
CITY WHERE YOU SAW AOC WIN
AGAINST CROWNING, THAT’S BECAUSE
THE POPULATION CHANGED.
THE SAME THING IN THE CAMBRIDGE
DISTRICT.
DISTRICT. PRESLEY COULD WIN, AOC COULD
WIN.
WIN. IS THERE A CHANGING POPULATION
SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH FOR GEORGIA
THAT IT COULD ELECT A DEMOCRAT
FOR PRESIDENT?
FOR PRESIDENT? >> THAT POPULATION HAS NOT ONLY
CHANGE, THE CHANGE HAS HAPPENED.
WE HAVE WATCH THE CHANGE HAPPEN
OVER THE LAST FEW ELECTORAL
CYCLES.
CYCLES. I WAS ABLE TO BLOCK A REPUBLICAN
SUPER MAJORITY EVERY SINGLE
CYCLE BECAUSE OF THAT
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE BUT WHAT OUR
CAMPAIGN DEMONSTRATED IN 2018 IS
THAT YOU CAN CONCENTRATE ON THAT
CHANGE.
CHANGE. YOU CAN CULTIVATE THOSE
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHICH
COMPRISED THE LARGEST PORTION OF
THAT CHANGE BUT YOU DON’T HAVE
TO SACRIFICE WHITE VOTES TO DO
SO.
SO. WE ARE CAPABLE AS DEMOCRATS OF
WALKING AND CHEWING GUM AT THE
SAME TIME.
SAME TIME. THAT IT REQUIRES EARLY,
SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT.
SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT. IT REQUIRES TALKING TO UNLIKELY
VOTERS BECAUSE UNLIKELY VOTERS
TYPICALLY DON’T RESPOND BECAUSE
WE DON’T SHOW UP UNTIL THE LAST
MINUTE AND WE DO A FAIRLY POOR
JOB OF COMMUNICATING BUT IF WE
TREAT THE UP LIKELY VOTERS, THAT
POPULATION CHANGE THE SAME WAY
WE TREAT SWING VOTERS, THEY WILL
ENGAGE.
ENGAGE. WE PROVED IT IN GEORGIA
OUTPERFORMING THE LAST TWO
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES.
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. >> THE HONOR IS MINE TO HAVE YOU
ON TONIGHT.
ON TONIGHT. THANK YOU.