PRESIDENT’S LEGAL TEAM TAKES THEIR CASE TO PRIMETIME RADIO AS
THEY ASSAIL THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
ON TWITTER.
ON TWITTER. >>> KNOWN FOR THE HISTORY OF
NONVIOLENT EXPRESSION, IS
WATCHING AND WAITING.
A HANDFUL OF WHITE NATIONALISTS,
JUST TWO DOZEN, GATHERED WITHIN
SIGHT OF THE WHITE HOUSE
EARLIER.
EARLIER. THOUSANDS MORE MET THEM HEAD-ON
DURING A RAINY NIGHT HERE IN THE
NATION’S CAPITAL.
NATION’S CAPITAL. AND I WANT TO START WITH OUR
TEAM OF REPORTERS THAT HAS BEEN
OUT IN THE RAIN ALL DAY AND
NIGHT.
NIGHT. I WANT TO START WITH GARRETT
HAAKE.
HAAKE. GARRETT, YOU STARTED YOUR DAY AT
THE METRO MEETING THIS SMALL
GROUP OF PROTESTERS, FRANKLY.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHAT
YOU’VE SEEN OVER THE COURSE OF
TODAY?
TODAY? >> SURE, KASIE.
IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE WORD GO
THAT THIS RALLY WAS NOT GOING TO
BE EVERYTHING THAT IT WAS
ADVERTISED AS.
ADVERTISED AS. WHEN ORGANIZERS PUT IT TOGETHER,
THEY HAD TOLD PEOPLE TO MEET AT
THE METRO IN VIENNA, VIRGINIA
AROUND 2:00 SO THEY COULD COME
INTO THE CITY AS A BIG GROUP AND
A SHOW OF FORCE EXAMINEAND FOR T
OWN PROTECTION.
OWN PROTECTION. THEY GOT THEIR PROTECTION FROM
MPD ONCE THEY MADE IT TO THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
THERE WAS NO SHOW OF FORCE.
ONLY TWO DOZEN OR SO WITH JASON
KESSLER THE ORGANIZER OF
CHARLOTTESVILLE LAST YEAR, AND
DOING THE UNITE THE WHITE RALLY
2.0 HERE IN D.C. TODAY, THE
DISORGANIZATION, THE DISUNITY,
THE LACK OF MESSAGE WAS CLEAR
FROM THE START.
MOST OF THESE FOLKS SHOWED UP.
THEY DIDN’T EVEN HAVE METRO
CARDS SO THEY MARCHED INTO THE
VIENNA METRO STATION AND THEN
MARCHED RIGHT UP TO THE METRO
CARD MACHINE AND HAD TO SLOW
THEMSELVES DOWN TO BUY FARE TO
GET INTO THE DISTRICT.
AND THE MESSAGE WAS MUDDLED FROM
THE WORD GO AS WELL.
KESSLER TRIED TO TELL ME IN AN
INTERVIEW THAT THIS WAS NOT A
RACIST EVENT, THAT THIS WAS ALL
ABOUT FREE SPEECH.
THEN I STARTED TALKING TO SOME
OF THE PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP WITH
THEM AND TWO YOUNG WHITE
SUPREMACISTS, THERE IS REALLY NO
OTHER WORD FOR IT, TOLD ME THEY
CONSIDERED WHITE AMERICANS TO BE
THE FOUNDING STOCK OF THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. AND IF YOU WEREN’T A WHITE
EUROPEAN AMERICAN, YOU WERE
SOMEHOW LESS AMERICAN THAN THEY.
SO NO MESSAGE UNITY.
THE RIDE IN ON THE TRAIN WAS
PROBABLY THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE
DAY FOR THESE GUYS BECAUSE THEY
HAD THE PRESS ATTENTION TO
THEMSELVES.
THEMSELVES. AND WHEN THEY GOT INTO THE CITY
THEY WERE COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY
OVERWHELMED BY THE THOUSANDS OF
COUNTER PROTESTERS THAT SWARMED
THEM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY FROM
THE METRO HERE TO LAFAYETTE PARK
BEHIND ME AND STAYED WITH THEM
ALL DAY LONG UNTIL THEY LEFT.
>> GARRETT, CAN I ASK YOU, I’VE
SEEN SOME TRAFFIC AND SOME
PEOPLE FRANKLY RAISING QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHETHER THESE WHITE
NATIONALISTS WERE GIVEN SEPARATE
CARS ON THE METRO TO BRING THEM
IN TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
SINCE YOU WERE THERE, WHAT DID
YOU SEE?
YOU SEE? >> I WAS ON THE TRAIN.
THERE WAS A CAR THAT WAS
ENTIRELY WHITE NATIONALIST AND
REPORTERS, BUT I DON’T KNOW THAT
THAT WAS DONE UNDER THE
DIRECTION OF ANYONE EXCEPT
PEOPLE ON THE PLATFORM WHO ALSO
LOOKED AROUND AND DECIDED THEY
DIDN’T WANT TO BE IN A METRO CAR
FULL OF WHITE NATIONALISTS AND
REPORTERS.
REPORTERS. THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE ON THAT
TRAIN COMING IN FROM VIENNA, BUT
THEY WERE RIDING IN DIFFERENT
CARS.
CARS. IT’S NOT CLEAR TO ME THAT THAT
WAS DONE AT THE DIRECTION OF
POLICE.
POLICE. RATHER, JUST SOME GOOD SENSIBLE
VIRGINIANS WHO LOOKED AROUND AND
SAID THERE’S PROBABLY ANOTHER
CAR ON THIS TRAIN THEY’D RATHER
RIDE IN.
RIDE IN. >> I ABSOLUTELY WANT TO BE NO
PART OF THIS.
GARRETT, THANK YOU.
>>> JEFF BENNETT, CAN YOU TALK
US THROUGH WHAT YOU’VE SEEN FROM
YOUR VANTAGE POINT?
AND ALSO OBVIOUSLY AFTER THIS
HAPPENED IN CHARLOTTESVILLE,
JUST ONE YEAR A GO, ALL THE
ATTENTION TURNED TO PRESIDENT
TRUMP AND HIS REALLY RESPONSE OR
LACK THEREOF TO WHAT WE HAD SEEN
IN THE STREETS OF
CHARLOTTESVILLE.
CHARLOTTESVILLE. HOW ARE THINGS DIFFERENT THIS
YEAR?
YEAR? >> KASIE, YOU’RE 100% RIGHT.
LOOK, JASON KESSLER, THE
ORGANIZER BEHIND UNITE THE
RIGHT, THE RALLY LAST YEAR AND
THIS SEQUEL RALLY, INITIALLY
WANTED TO HOLD THE FOLLOW-UP IN
CHARLOTTESVILLE.
CHARLOTTESVILLE. BUT HE WAS DENIED A PERMIT THERE
THE SO HE TURNED HIS ATTENTION
TO WASHINGTON, D.C. AND THE
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE APPROVED
HIS PERMIT FOR WHAT HE CALLED A
WHITE CIVIL RIGHTS RALLY BECAUSE
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SAYS
THAT THEY ARE FORCED TO APPROVE
ANY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS
EVENT.
EVENT. SO HE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO BE
COMING IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO
PRESIDENT TRUMP, EVEN THOUGH
THIS IS A WEEKEND IN WHICH WE
KNOW PRESIDENT TRUMP IS AT HIS
PRIVATE GOLF RESORT IN
BEDMINSTER WHERE HE’S FINISHING
UP HIS WEEK THERE.
BUT WE’VE SEEN THE PRESIDENT
JUST YESTERDAY SORT OF ISSUE
THAT PREEMPTIVE TWEET WHERE HE
SAYS, I CONDEMN RACISM ON ALL
SIDES.
SIDES. SO SOME PEOPLE HAVE REALLY
CHARACTERIZED THAT STANDING IN
STARK CONTRAST TO WHAT HE SAID
LAST YEAR WHERE HE DREW THIS
MORAL EQUIVALENCE BETWEEN THE
WHITE NATIONALISTS, THE WHITE
SUPREMACISTS AND THOSE WHO WERE
PROTESTING AGAINST HIM.
HOWEVER, SOME PEOPLE HAVE READ
THAT SAME TWEET AND SAID, LOOK,
THE PRESIDENT STILL CAN’T
CONDEMN THESE WHITE
SUPREMACISTS.
SUPREMACISTS. HE CAN’T CALL OUT THEIR BAD
ACTS.
ACTS. SO WE HAD THIS TWEET FROM THE
PRESIDENT TODAY, IVANKA TRUMP,
THE PRESIDENT’S DAUGHTER AND
WHITE HOUSE AIDE ADDED HER VOICE
TO ALL OF THIS SAYING SHE
CONDEMNS SPECIFICALLY RACISM,
WHITE NATIONALISM, NAZISM, SAYS
IT HAS NO PLACE IN OUR COUNTRY.
SO THE QUESTION IS WHAT WILL THE
PRESIDENT SAY WHEN HE’S IN AN
UNGUARDED, UNSCRIPTED MOMENT AND
HE GETS A QUESTION ABOUT THIS,
WHETHER IT’S AN OVAL OFFICE
SPRAY, WHETHER IT’S A SOUTH LAWN
SCRUM, WHETHER -- HE’S GOING TO
DO AN EVENT TOMORROW.
THERE WILL BE SOME PRESS POOL
REPORTERS THERE.
REPORTERS THERE. WHAT WILL HE SAY WHEN HE’S
CAUGHT OFF GUARD?
I THINK THAT WILL BE FAR MORE
ILLUSTRATIVE AND FAR MORE
INSTRUCTIVE.
INSTRUCTIVE. KASIE.
KASIE. >> AND WE SHOULD NOTE OF COURSE,
JEFF, THE PERMIT THAT WAS GIVEN
TO MR. KESSLER WAS FOR UPWARDS
OF 400 PEOPLE.
HE SHOWED UP WITH JUST TWO
DOZEN.
DOZEN. JEFF BENNETT, THANKS VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR REPORTING.
WE’LL BE CHECKING BACK IN WITH
YOU TONIGHT.
YOU TONIGHT. >> SURE.
>> SURE. >> MEANWHILE I WANT TO WELCOME
IN MY PANEL WITH ME ON SET,
FORMER RNC CHAIRMAN AND
POLITICAL ANALYST, MICHAEL
STEELE.
STEELE. WHOUTS REPORTER FOR L.A. TIMES
AND NBC POLITICAL ANALYST ELI
STOKOLS.
STOKOLS. POLSTER AND MSNBC POLITICAL
ANALYST CORNELL BELCHER AND THE
PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL URBAN
LEAGUE AND FORMER MAYOR OF NEW
ORLEANS, MARK MORIAL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. MICHAEL STEELE, I WANT TO START
WITH YOU AS SOMEBODY WHO IS --
THERE IS A LOT BEING ASCRIBED TO
WHAT I THINK IS STILL YOUR
PARTY, ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE HAD
SOME MAJOR DIFFERENCES OVER THE
COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR.
>> WE’RE WORKING THAT OUT.
>> BUT WHAT DO YOU READ INTO
WHAT YOU SAW TODAY WITH THIS
FRANKLY DISMAL SHOWING, AND WHAT
THE PRESIDENT HAD TO SAY ABOUT
IT SO FAR?
>> I KIND OF IGNORE THE SHOWING
IN ALL OF THAT.
THAT’S "MELODRAMA" THAT WILL
PLAY ITSELF OUT ONE WAY OR THE
OTHER.
OTHER. 24 PEOPLE, 400 PEOPLE, THAT IS
WHAT IT IS.
HOW THAT IS ULTIMATELY FRAMED IN
MY VIEW IS WHAT WE HAVE RELIED
ON IN THE PAST AND THAT IS A
PRESIDENT WHO SPEAKS INTO THE
MOMENT AND CLARIFIES AND DEFINES
WHERE WE ARE AS AMERICAN
CITIZENS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS
TYPE OF HATE-FILLED RESPONSE TO
FELLOW AMERICANS.
FELLOW AMERICANS. AND THE FACT THAT THE PRESIDENT
IS GIVING US SORT OF, YOU KNOW,
SORT OF A LIGHTWEIGHT RESPONSE
ON TWITTER.
ON TWITTER. HATE RACISM OF ALL KINDS.
OKAY, BUT WE’RE SPECIFICALLY
TALKING ABOUT THIS, ALL RIGHT?
CAN YOU NARROW IT DOWN FOR US
JUST A LITTLE BIT WITH RESPECT
TO WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR
FRONT YARD?
FRONT YARD? AND THE FACT THAT HE STILL CAN’T
DO THAT, THAT TO ME IS THE
LESSON THAT EVERY AMERICAN
SHOULD TAKE FROM WHAT WE SEE
THIS WEEKEND.
THIS WEEKEND. >> MARK MORIAL, TO MICHAEL
STEELE’S POINT, THE PRESIDENT IS
NOT OUT FRONT LEADING ON THIS
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. >> THE RALLY BY THE UNITE THE
RIGHT GROUP IS AN ABSOLUTE FLOP,
A FAILURE, A POOR SHOWING.
30 PEOPLE AND ALL OF THIS
ANTICIPATION, ALL OF THIS
MOBILIZATION, ALL OF THE PUBLIC
RESOURCES SPENT BY THE CITY OF
WASHINGTON AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND THE TAXPAYERS FOR
30 PEOPLE TO SHOW UP.
BUT SECONDLY, THIS WAS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PRESIDENT TO
MAKE A FORCEFUL UNEQUIVOCAL
STATEMENT.
STATEMENT. GO LOOK AT MITT ROMNEY’S
STATEMENT.
STATEMENT. LOOK AT IVANKA TRUMP’S
STATEMENT.
STATEMENT. THOSE STATEMENTS ARE MORE ON
MARK OF THE TYPE OF STATEMENT
WE’D LIKE TO SEE THE PRESIDENT
MAKE.
MAKE. THIS IS A MORAL MOMENT.
THIS IS A MOMENT WHERE WE EXPECT
THE PRESIDENT TO SPEAK
UNEQUIVOCALLY.
UNEQUIVOCALLY. HE SEEMS TO NOT BE ABLE TO
REALLY GET TO THE POINT WHERE HE
CONDEMNS THIS AWFUL IDEOLOGY OF
NAZISM AND ANTI-SEMITISM.
WE NEED HIM TO LEAD AT THIS
DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING TIME
IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
WE HAVEN’T HEARD THAT.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD HEAR IT.
>> CORNELL BELCHER, FIRST OF
ALL, YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT
WE’VE SEEN UNFOLD IN THE STREETS
OF WASHINGTON TODAY.
WHAT KIND OF LASTING DAMAGE
MIGHT PRESIDENT TRUMP BE DOING
TO PUBLIC RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE
GOP FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS
THINKING ABOUT WHERE CAN I HAVE
A HOME?
A HOME? >> RIGHT, WHERE CAN I HAVE A
HOME IS A BIG ISSUE.
WE’VE SEEN IN A LOT OF POLLING
AND CBS POLLING, WE DID POLLING
IN BATTLE GROUND FOR AFRICAN
AMERICANS FOR BLACK PAC.
YOU HAVE OVER 70% OF AMERICANS
THINKING THAT RACISM IS ON THE
RISE, RIGHT?
RISE, RIGHT? AND A MAJORITY THINK THEIR
COMMUNITIES ARE UNDER ATTACK.
SO THAT’S THE SORT OF REALITY
FOR MINORITIES, FOR MANY
MINORITIES WHO THOUGHT SO MUCH
OF THIS WAS IN THE PAST.
WE ARE AGAIN WATCHING KU KLUX
KLAN AND WHITE SUPREMACISTS
MARCH THROUGH THE STREETS OF
WASHINGTON, RIGHT?
WASHINGTON, RIGHT? BUT I ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, TO
THE CHAIRMAN’S POINT ON THIS,
THE 30 PEOPLE SHOWING DOESN’T
MEAN ANYTHING, RIGHT?
BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND IT’S A
STRATEGY THEY’RE GOING
UNDERGROUND.
UNDERGROUND. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT SORT OF THE
RACISM THAT I THINK TRUMP IS
MAKING OKAY AGAIN IN THIS
COUNTRY, THAT’S GOING TO HURT US
LONG TERM BECAUSE ONE OF THE
THINGS I TALKED ABOUT BEFORE IS
WE’RE NOT GOING TO GET WHITER AS
A COUNTRY SO WE BETTER FIGURE
OUT HOW TO LIVE WITH EACH OTHER
WHETHER YOU’RE REPUBLICAN OR
DEMOCRAT.
DEMOCRAT. WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF
FIGURING OUT HOW TO LIVE WITH
EACH OTHER AND THE PRESIDENT
MUST PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN
THAT.
THAT. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. ELI STOKOLS, FROM A POLITICAL
PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A PRESIDENT
WHO FEEDS OFF CROWDS.
HE WATCHES WHAT HAPPENS IN FRONT
OF HIM.
OF HIM. HE TOSSES THINGS OUT TO THE
CROWD.
CROWD. HE SEES HOW THEY REACT TO IT AND
OFTENTIMES HE’LL CONTINUE TO SAY
SOMETHING BECAUSE IT SEEMED TO
RESONATE.
RESONATE. IT DOES PRESIDENT SEEM TO ME
THAT THIS SMALL GROUP OF
EXTREMISTS REALLY HAD ANY SORT
OF SHOWING THAT SHOULD SUGGEST
THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WITH A
REAL CONSTITUENCY.
REAL CONSTITUENCY. >> IF HE’S WATCHING TV TONIGHT,
AND WE HAVE NO REASON TO THINK
HE’S NOT, BECAUSE HE WATCHES TV
PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY.
HE’S SEEING THIS AND HE IS NOT
GOING TO TAKE SATISFACTION, HE’S
NOT GOING TO CLAIM CREDIT.
IF ANYTHING, HE MIGHT DISTANCE
HIMSELF FROM IT.
BUT BEFORE HE COULD SEE THE
CROWDS AS EVERYBODY HERE HAS
POINTED OUT.
POINTED OUT. HE HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE A STRONG
STATEMENT CONDEMNING NOT ALL
KINDS OF RACISM, BUT
SPECIFICALLY WHITE SUPREMACISTS.
THE PRESIDENT IS REALLY GOOD AT
GIVING THESE MEALY MOUTH
STATEMENTS OPEN TO
INTERPRETATION SO HE CAN SAY, I
CONDEMNED RACISM.
CONDEMNED RACISM. WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?
BUT HE CAN LEAVE ENOUGH ROOM
THERE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO
MARCH IN THESE RALLIES OR ATTEND
THESE MEETINGS OR POP OFF ON
FACEBOOK WITH RACIST IDEAS, HE
CAN LEAVE ENOUGH DAYLIGHT FOR
THEM TO THINK, HE’S ACTUALLY
WITH US.
WITH US. THAT PROTEST THAT WE SAW IN
CHARLOTTESVILLE A YEAR AGO, THAT
HADN’T BEEN SEEN BEFORE DONALD
TRUMP WAS PRESIDENT AND FROM ALL
THE REPORTERS WHO WERE IN THE
CROWD TALKING TO PEOPLE, THE
MAJORITY OF THE WHITE
SUPREMACISTS WHO SHOWED UP
BELIEVED RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY THAT
THIS PRESIDENT WAS ON THEIR
SIDE, THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THEM
DIFFERENTLY THAN PAST
PRESIDENTS, PAST POLITICAL
LEADERS BEFORE AND THERE WAS AN
EXCITEMENT ABOUT THAT.
AND IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE,
IT’S INCUMBENT ON THE PRESIDENT
TO SEND A STRONGER MESSAGE TO
SAY, I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS AND
AS YET HE HAS NOT.
>> MICHAEL STEELE, THIS IS A
QUESTION THAT CHUCK TODD ASKED
OF A MEMBER OF CONGRESS ON "MEET
THE PRESS" A WEEK OR TUA GO.
HE ASKED, IS THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY BECOMING THE PARTY THAT IS
FUNDAMENTALLY ANTI-BLACK?
FUNDAMENTALLY ANTI-BLACK? >> I DON’T KNOW IF I’LL GO THAT
FAR YET.
FAR YET. WE HAVE OUR ROOTS, THOUGH.
WE HAVE OUR ROOTS WHEN THERE WAS
A SOUTHERN STRATEGY IN THE NIXON
CAMPAIGN IN ’68 TO BRING INTO
THE FOLD THIS PARTICULAR ILK OF
PERSON, TO PUT IT POLITELY, THIS
KIND OF TRASH, BECAUSE THERE WAS
SOME ELECTORAL BENEFIT
PRESUMABLY THAT WOULD COME FROM
IT.
IT. THERE WAS NO CONSIDERATION GIVEN
TO THE POISON THAT WOULD INFECT
THE BODY POLITIC WITHIN THE GOP,
THAT HERE WE ARE NOW SOME 50
YEARS LATER HAVING TO DEAL WITH
A PRESIDENT, A REPUBLICAN
PRESIDENT WHO, TO THE POINT THAT
WAS JUST MADE, GIVES COUNTENANCE
TO IT, THAT GIVES ROOM TO THAT.
SO, THE PARTY HAS TO NOW,
IRRESPECTIVE OF THE PRESIDENT,
THE PARTY HAS TO ACCOUNT FOR
THIS BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW HOW WE
GO INTO A BLACK COMMUNITY, INTO
AN HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND SAY,
COME, JOIN US, BE A PART OF US.
IT’S NOT JUSTIFY TO SAY YOU’RE
CONSERVATIVE, NOT ENOUGH TO SAY
YOU GO TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY.
IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO PUT THAT ON
THE TABLE ANY MORE WHEN YOU HAVE
THIS BODY OF WORK BY THIS
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. YOU’VE GOT THE RHETORIC AND
EVERYTHING ELSE THAT SAYS
SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT TO
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. AND IT’S A REAL PROBLEM.
>> MARK MORIAL, JUMP IN.
>> I WANT TO OFFER, I THINK IT’S
AN INTERESTING ARC, IF YOU WILL,
FROM GEORGE BUSH CIRCA 2001
TALKING ABOUT AFFIRMATIVE
ACCESS, APPOINTING COLIN POWELL
AND LATER CONDALEEZA RICE AS
SECRETARIES OF STATE.
A GOP IN THE CONGRESS THAT HAD A
J.C. WATTS IN ITS LEADERSHIP AND
A GOP THAT HAD A MICHAEL STEELE
AS ITS CHAIR.
THAT PARTY WOULD SEEM TO BE
MAYBE MAKING SMALL STEPS IS A
VERY DIFFERENT SCENE TODAY.
MICHAEL STEELE, A J.C. WATTS, A
COLIN POWELL, A CONDEE RICE,
THEY WERE IN THE REPUBLICAN
MOVEMENT IN 2000s.
THIS IS A DIRECTIONAL SHIFT WHEN
YOU HAVE A COREY STEWART, A
PATRICK LITTLE AS CANDIDATES
NOMINATED OR CANDIDATES RUNNING
UNDER THE GOP BANNER.
SO I THINK THE DIFFICULTY FOR
THE GOP IS NOT ONLY IN ITS
LEADERSHIP OPTICS AND IN THE
PRESIDENT’S RHETORIC, BUT ALSO
THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NO
LONGER ANY CREDIBLE AFRICAN
AMERICANS IN ANY LEADERSHIP ROLE
ANYWHERE, IT SEEMS, IN THE
CONGRESS OR IN THE EXECUTIVE
BRANCH.
BRANCH. IT’S HARD TO MAKE UP A
PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU’VE GOT A
CHANGING LANDSCAPE IN THE
COUNTRY NOT TO EVEN MENTION THE
LACK OF LATINO LEADERS IN THE
VERY SAME PARTY.
SO YOU’VE GOT TO LOOK AT THIS IN
TERMS OF WHERE IT’S COME FROM
MAYBE 15 YEARS AGO TO WHERE IT
IS DIRECTIONALLY IN THE WRONG