Lincoln Project's Steve Schmidt "There's a Battle for Control of MAGA Empire" - Amanpour and Company

[Rhiannon12866]

California Governor Gavin Newsom easily beat a recall challenge last night, in part by emphasizing his commitment to mask and vaccine mandates. This is in stark contrast to the approach of Republican governors in states like Texas and Florida. Former GOP strategist Steve Schmidt dismisses their anti-science stance as a ploy to woo the far right. Schmidt, who resigned from the board of The Lincoln Project in February, tells Michel Martin how Democrats should seize the moment.

Originally aired on September 15, 2021.

[msongs]

1. I approve this message. dems want to to get along and repubs want to win. every

elected dem in this country should be forced to watch this.

and why has codified roe v wade legislation no been introduced already? what's the effing delay

[calimary]

3. Yep. Our Dems have GOT TO stop being nice!

And above all else, STOP assuming this is a level playing field and that both sides are playing by the same rules, and with the same honor and level of courtesy!

Rules only work when BOTH SIDES fully and honestly agree to be bound by them. When only one side does so, while the opponents are in the ruthless, cut-throat “whatever it takes” mindset, the whole damn game is worthless. And seems to me that’s what’s facing us right now.

[Grasswire2]

2. sobering

Thanks for posting.

[Hekate]

4. Extremely powerful, and by the end, terrifying. It is on us, the Democrats, w/ our large but fragile

…coalition.

[czarjak]

5. You built that, Stevie. GFY!

[NJCher]

6. It's hard to believe

There is such a thing as the pro-death platform, but there it is.

Even worse, next up is the kids.

And it’s just fine with them.

[mopinko]

16. a children's pandemic. what a world.

i'm so tired of people.

[LittleGirl]

7. It's evil

and we need to make that point! Steve lays it all out.

I just have one thing about the location of this remote call. He is in Montana not Canada. I remember this background from before and it always listed him in Montana.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. He really has become one of our best spokesmen, and these days you can broadcast from anywhere

Something that we've learned during this pandemic. It's now rare to see "guests" on any show having to show up in "the studio." And I became a fan when I caught him on MSNBC give the best anti-Trump rant I'd ever heard. He is the personification of "politics make strange bedfellows..."

[LittleGirl]

9. I think you helped me understand him more

by posting his videos, so thank you for that! Good to see you.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. Oh, thanks so much!

And yes, if I see a video (rant) by Steve Schmidt, I know it's going to be a good one and I just can't resist. Good to see you, too, my friend!

[Wild blueberry]

11. All Dems wake up!

And any remaining sane Republicans (I know, but I live in an area where Trump won and I personally know some who vote Republican but are not trying to wreck our democracy; they are persuadable).

We are in a Code Red for Democracy time. Right now Dems have the majority in Congress. This is the time to act!
Thanks for posting this.

[Rhiannon12866]

13. Thanks! And I couldn't agree more!

You'd think I'd be in a safe area since I'm in New York - but after redistricting, we ended up joined with the farthest northern part of the state and the Rep. was a moderate Democrat. But unfortunately after he retired, that's when we got Elise Stefanik.

[Wild blueberry]

19. My condolences, ugh

We are lumbered with the despicable, death-cult Tom Tiffany, rotten worm.

[Irish_Dem]

12. The GOP is at war with the Dems, America, and democracy.

Last edited Sun Sep 19, 2021, 09:52 AM - Edit history (1)

We need to face that reality and act accordingly.
Primarily by outsmarting the sociopaths.

[Rhiannon12866]

14. The thing that's discouraging is that the TFG-following crazies are clearly in the minority

But they seem to have had a serious effect on this country - and the most discouraging issue is that there are an influential number of them in Congress. We desperately need to vote them out. Our future depends on it.

[Irish_Dem]

17. Yes I agree. I don't think it is hyperbole to say our democracy is at stake.

I would think there are ways to fight back.

I think Biden is doing that every day in public and private.
He keeps demonstrating superior leadership and doing the right thing.

But the inmates are running the asylum and there should be a serious think tank effort to figure out how to fight back.

[Rhiannon12866]

20. There has to be a way to stop their false narrative and to shut them down

What they're espousing - which many of them, especially in Congress, know is not true - is dangerous and, as you said, puts our democracy in peril. The obvious way is to vote them out, but they are in the majority in certain areas of the country. The behavior and disruption we're seeing now from some elected officials would have previously have been unbelievable - and they're the ones who make the news.

And I agree that Biden has been doing an amazing job, but there are actually people in this country who refuse to believe he's the president! There have always been a fringe who refuse to conform to laws and norms, but thanks to TFG who set that example, that fringe has become a much larger and thus more dangerous group - and they now have national representation!

[BeyondGeography]

15. Our messaging isn't meeting the moment

He’s right, as usual.

[Irish_Dem]

18. I agree. This is a deadly serious moment in American history.

And our strategy needs to reflect that reality.

[Rhiannon12866]

21. I agree as well, the MAGA followers have been allowed to control the narrative

And we know that they are in the minority.