Sunday School 12/1/2019

A couple of the Democratic presidential candidates were in the classrooms today: Cory Booker with John Dickerson on Face the Nation on CBS, and Amy Klobuchar with Chuck Todd on NBC's Meet the Press and with Dana Bash on CNN's State of the Union.

Here's what was on their minds, starting in NBC's classroom, where Chuck Todd wondered about impeachment, the upcoming Senate trial, and the campaign. She made it clear to him that she can do two things at a time - campaign on the issues, and uphold her constitutional duty as a senator. 

She also said that this behavior, to her, is "part of a bigger pattern" of Trump's, his betrayal of "the trust of the American people." She mentioned him putting his personal and private business interests and "partisan political interests" ahead of the country's interests - and tied that to why Democrats won in Louisiana and in Kentucky last month.

Todd wondered "do you fear, though, what he could do - how he would interpret a Senate acquittal?"

I have no idea what he will do. All I know is that we have an obligation to the country to lead, to have this proceeding conducted fairly, which I believe it has.

Todd asked her for a criticism of her campaign that resonated with her; she pointed to comments that she's not raised as much money as the other candidates. She agreed that's true, but pointed to gains since the last debate. And she said she'll never be able to "compete with two billionaires." Todd suggested she was "particularly insulted" by former NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg getting into the race, in her lane.

Well, it is more about money in politics for me. I have admiration for the work that he's done, but I don't buy this argument that you get in because you say, "Oh, everyone else sucks." I just don't. I think we have strong candidates. 

In her conversation with Dana Bash, Klobuchar agreed it would be good to hear from administration folks (Mulvaney, Pompeo and Bolton)  in the impeachment inquiry, suggesting Trump let them testify, since he claims he wants them to, and that it might be possible to compel them to testify in the Senate trial. 

Bash noted that in New Hampshire, pretty much everyone she talked to was looking at Biden, Buttigieg, and Klobuchar, and asked if this was going to put her at a disadvantage if she's sitting in DC in the Senate trial instead of out on the campaign trail.

I meet whatever obstacle is put in front of me... But I have many people that are going to be out there for me if I can't leave for a few weeks. That includes my husband and daughter, who are excellent campaigners. But it also includes all of our endorsers. I have more endorsers of elected and former electeds in Iowa than anyone else.

Turning to Klobuchar's not being in favor of "sending rich kids to college for free" which has been attacked by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a "GOP talking point, Klobuchar noted the comment was directed at another candidate, but that she thinks others can be brought to this position.

Let us look at our economic needs and match them to our education system. And that means making it easier and more affordable for kids to go to college by doubling Pell Grants. That also means making loan repayments much easier. But what would I make free? The one- and two-year degrees. Why? Fastest growing area of jobs. We're not going to have a shortage of MBAs or CEOs.

Bash pushed on the GOP talking point argument, and Klobuchar disagreed, calling it a "talking point for our economy." Moving on, Bash asked about a new line in the stump speech, "We can't afford to screw this up." and asked what it meant.

...if Donald Trump gets elected, shame on us. I mean that we need to bring our party together and bring with us independents and moderate Republicans, just like I have done in all my races...where I have run in suburbs, rural, and in urban areas.

Bash wondered if it would be a screw-up if a less moderate candidate is the nominee. Klobuchar said "we need to put someone at the head of the ticket that can actually bring people with us." And, she's "the only one on that debate stage that has led a ticket over and over again" that has won by bringing in suburbs, rural areas, and urban areas. That kind of experience matters, Klobuchar said.

On discrimination, Klobuchar pointed out that she's not experienced discrimination like African-Americans have, with wages, for example, but that she knows what the answer is.

...economic justice and making sure we give opportunity to more people of color, and we give them the opportunity to go into those jobs that are so high-paying, like tech jobs. The second thing I know is, no one is going to get their rights if we shut them out from voting, which is why I have been a leader on voting rights from the very beginning. 

Moving on to Cory Booker's appearance on Face the Nation, John Dickerson asked about the senator's new campaign ad talking about love and unity, and wondered if that message wasn't selling.  Booker noted that it is, to some degree - he's got more endorsements from the local folks in Iowa and New Hampshire than the other candidates, and his favorables are up in Iowa as well - so, it's working but "it's not translating to people choosing me in the polls." 

But, he said, the reason he's running is because "the next president, especially after this person, has to be a healer." And he decried the "tribalism" we face.

We're hating each other because we vote differently and - and we're not going to be able to get the big things done that we need to get done, like facing down climate change, the health care crisis that still persists. You need new American majorities to get that. And you need a leader that can inspire the moral imagination of this country.

Dickerson noted that President Obama ran on a similar vision, but by the time it was over, he felt the Republicans "were not willing partners" and wondered if Obama couldn't do it then, how can Booker do it now, when things are even worse. He said we do need someone who can bring the 'Obama coalition' along and added

...when I took over a city that was known for crime and corruption... people told me all the things we could not do. And my - my frustration was hearing all these things that people said couldn't be done. It undermined. It sort of was like a surrender to cynicism that I think we have to resist. So I'm going to come to Washington and do things differently. I'm going to break norms like this president is doing to demean, degrade and divide--

"What norm are you going to break that's going to make this city, calcified as it is, suddenly break open in a group hug?" Dickerson asked. Booker said that wasn't what he's looking for, adding

But this is what frustrates me. The majority of Americans agree on common sense gun safety reform....on the need for massive infrastructure investment...that we need to raise the minimum wage. This is the frustrating thing - is that we have this wide berth on which we agree, so our politics is not reflecting the people. And that's what I'm going to change as the next president of the United States.

Referencing President Obama's comments a while back, that we're "not really ready for revolution" and that there's maybe too much change coming from some of the candidates, Dickerson asked, "if a Democrat is elected, it's going to be after four years of- of President Trump, where there's been a lot of excitement. Is the country going to be ready for a lot of Democratic version of excitement?"

...we need a inspiring, igniting leader next. Someone who can get folks energized... I'm here because of revolutions. The civil rights movement was a revolution...Seneca Falls was a revolution. But these are revolutions that are consistent and resonant with our founding ideals...This next revolution has to be one where we understand we have common cause...We've got to understand that we're all in this together.

The final question was about getting African-Americans motivated, getting them to the polls in record numbers, which Booker talked about at the last debate. Dickerson pointed out Biden has 49% of the African-American poll respondents, and he seems to be inspiring African-Americans. Booker noted that Biden's got 100% name recognition, and pointed out that Obama was behind Hillary Clinton with African-Americans - until he won Iowa. 

This race, most people have not made up their mind, and as a guy who has shown statistically in New Jersey when I'm on the ballot, surges in African-American vote, I am confident I'm the best person in this race - not to just get the percent of the African-American vote, but to increase the base, increase the turnout in a significant way. That's the kind of leader we're going to need on the ticket in the next election. 

That's where they left it, and we'll do the same.

See you around campus.