JOINING US NOW IS DEMOCRATIC
CONGRESSWOMAN DEBBIE DINGELL OF
MICHIGAN.
GREAT TO SEE YOU THIS MORNING.
CONGRESSWOMAN, VICE PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE CAMKAMALA HARRIS SAYS
MICHIGAN IS THE MAIN EVENT IN
THIS FIGHT AFTER IT WENT TO
TRUMP IN 2016.
HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU THAT
BIDEN/HARRIS CAN WIN YOUR STATE
IN NOVEMBER AND KEEP IT AWAY
FROM DONALD TRUMP?
>> I’M CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN,
BUT I DON’T THINK THIS ELECTION
IS OVER IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR
FORM.
I DIDN’T BELIEVE THE POLLS FOUR
YEARS AGO, I DON’T BELIEVE THE
POLLS NOW, I THINK WE HAVE TO
WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY BETWEEN
NOW AND NOVEMBER TO MAKE SURE WE
TURN OUT OUR VOTE AND ARE
CONNECTING WITH SOME VOTERS THAT
ARE STILL UNDECIDED TO BE
PERFECTLY FRANK.
>> YEAH.
AND YOU SAID BEFORE THAT IT IS
CRITICAL THAT DEMOCRATS PREVENT
THE PRESIDENT FROM MAKING LAW
AND ORDER AS HE PUTS IT, LAW
ENFORCEMENT, A POLITICAL WEDGE
ISSUE.
HOW DO YOU DO THAT?
>> WELL, I AM NOT GOING TO -- I
FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS,
AND AS YOU KNOW, I IDENTIFIED
THIS ISSUE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO
BEFORE IT BECAME SUCH A PUBLIC
ISSUE.
WE HAVE SEEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE
VIDEOS FROM WISCONSIN, THAT,
YEAH, A BLACK MAN WAS TREATED
DIFFERENTLY THAN A WHITE MAN.
WE HAVE RACIAL INJUSTICE IN OUR
COUNTRY.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE.
IT IS AN UNCOMFORTABLE DIALOGUE.
BUT YOU DON’T THROW KEROSENE ON
THAT FIRE.
AND I’M IN THE GOING TO LET THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
DEFINE WHO I AM.
I SUPPORT MY LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
I AM CLOSE TO MANY OF THEM.
I HAVE MARCHED WITH THEM.
I GO TO THE EVENTS SUPPORTING
THEM.
THERE ARE PROBLEMS.
PUT QUITE FRANKLY, THEY’RE PART
OF -- I DO NOT SUPPORT VIOLENCE
OF ANY KIND, AND WE’LL STAND UP
TO IT, NO MATTER WHICH SIDE
RIGHT OR LEFT IS DOING IT AND
LET US BE CLEAR THAT THERE ARE
THOSE THAT ARE TRYING TO STIR UP
VIOLENCE, TO CAUSE THESE KIND OF
SEDUCTION
DISCUSSIONS.
WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO HAVE
UNCOMFORTABLE DIALOGUE, BUT WE
HAVE TO BE READY TO LEAD.
AND YOU DON’T PUT KEROSENE ON A
FIRE THAT IS ALREADY OUT.
>> I WANT TO ALSO ASK YOU ABOUT
THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC,
BECAUSE DETROIT THIS WEEK AS YOU
KNOW THEY HONORED THE MORE THAN
1500 PEOPLE THERE WHO HAVE DIED.
AND FAMILIES PARTICIPATED IN
THIS FUNERAL-LIKE PROCESSION
DRIVING BY PICTURES OF THOSE
THEY LOST.
YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE SCREEN.
MANY OF THE FACES OF THE PEOPLE
ON THOSE POSTERS WERE FACES OF
AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
AND IT STRIKES ME AS SUCH AN
INDICTMENT OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH
SYSTEM AND OF OUR POLITICS.
ONE, THAT THE COVID-19 DEATHS
ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING
BLACK AND BROWN FOLKS.
BUT, TWO, IT IS APPARENTLY GOING
UNNOTICED BY THE MOSTLY WHITE
MICHIGANDERS WHO BACK THE
PRESIDENT’S HANDLING OF THE
PANDEMIC AND STILL SUPPORTING
HIM.
HOW DO YOU MAKE SENSE OF THAT?
>> YOU KNOW, I’M GOING TO TELL
YOU THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE
SUPPORTING THE PRESIDENT’S
HANDLING, BUT I THINK MANY HAVE
SHINED THE LIGHT.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IN
MICHIGAN, AFRICAN-AMERICAN
POPULATION IS 13% OR 14%, BUT
THE NUMBER OF DEATHS HAVE BEEN
42% OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMUNITY.
AND I HAVE BEEN TO BELL ISLE AND
YOU CAN’T DO THAT AND NOT WANT
TO CRY.
I THINK MANY OF US HAVE LOST
PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW OR BEEN
TOUCHED BY COVID IN MICHIGAN.
WE HAVE -- I DO BELIEVE THERE
ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT DON’T --
THIS IS GOING TO BE A COVID
ELECTION.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO REMIND
PEOPLE, THEY’RE WORRIED ABOUT THE ECONOMIC ISSUES, THE ECONOMY
THE ECONOMIC ISSUES, THE ECONOMY
RIGHT NOW, THAT’S WHAT WE GOT TO
DO A BETTER JOB OF IS REMINDING
PEOPLE THAT THE ECONOMY THAT
THEY’RE WORRIED ABOUT IS WHERE