Longtime Democratic operative James Carville looked at the Democratic electoral massacre in Virginia last week and lamented the impact "stupid wokeness" had on the race.
Race-hustling MSNBC host Tiffany Cross and frequent guest Roland Martin, as well as other members of the show's panel on Saturday, did not appreciate Carville's take and wished that "whining" white men like him would "shut the F up."
The day after Republicans shocked Democrats statewide in Virginia, the Democratic incumbent governor of New Jersey barely hung on, and a left-wing socialist candidate for mayor of Buffalo who appeared to be a shoo-in lost to a write-in candidate, Carville told "PBS Newshour" that the election was evidence of the toxicity of "wokeness."
"What went wrong is just stupid wokeness. All right, don't just look at Virginia and New Jersey. Look at Long Island, look at Buffalo, look at Minneapolis, even look at Seattle, Washington. I mean, this 'defund the police' lunacy, this take Abraham Lincoln's name off of schools. I mean that — people see that," Carville said emphatically.
"It's just really — has a suppressive effect all across the country on the Democrats. Some of these people need to go to a 'woke' detox center or something," he continued. "They're expressing a language that people just don't use, and there's backlash and a frustration at that."
Cross — who last month infamously went after black former ESPN host Stage Steele for not being a legitimate "black voice" and accused her of "spewing ... nonsense" from "powerful white Americans" — had Martin on to discuss the Carville PBS interview.
In response to the clip, Martin declared, "I think Carville should shut the F up, because I'm sick of these white men whining and complaining about wokeness when you like it when black folks and Latinos and young white voters and Asians are voting for candidates. How about this, James Carville? How about you go learn how to cut some Lincoln Project-type ads for the Democratic party?"
He wasn't done.
"How about creating some actual memes?" Martin continued. "Where is the video this morning of the infrastructure bill? How about you go raise money to run those ads on OAN and Fox News and Newsmax and telling those broke white folks in those various states how the infrastructure bill is going to benefit them? I'm sorry, James, I need you to shut up and do your job and stop trying to pin it on people who are doing the work."
Cross replied that she felt the same way and shared her apparent resentment of white people, noting that when people of color are the majority and whites are the minority, "it's going to be uncomfortable for a lot of people."
"We're comfortable making people uncomfortable," Cross added.
(H/T: NewsBusters)
Progressive Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) claimed recently that the Democratic Party suffered huge losses in Virginia on Election Day because they didn't campaign far enough to the left.
The New York lawmaker acknowledged in an Instagram story this week that the Republican Party's sweep of three statewide races was a "huge bummer" but stressed there exists a silver lining for the progressive wing of the party.
The losses even amounted to "good news," she suggested, because they proved that Democrats need to run on far-left progressive principles in order to win.
"On the election front, I actually think we have good news as well," Ocasio-Cortez said in the video. "I know that Virginia was a huge bummer. And honestly, if anything, I think that the results show the limits of trying to run a fully, 100% super moderated campaign that does not excite, speak to, or energize a progressive base, and frankly, we weren't even really invited to contribute on that race."
.@AOC finds a silver lining in Virginia election losses.\n\n\u201cI think that the results show the limits of trying to run a fully 100% super moderated campaign\u201dpic.twitter.com/NjjiQQ5uU7
— John Gage (@johnrobertgage) 1636030189
Ocasio-Cortez went on to blame the party's supposedly inadequate response to "race-baiting" from the right.
Saying "little" or "nothing" about race-baiting only "demoralizes the base," she argued, adding that "silence" on these issues also cedes "white swing voters" to the Republicans.
The progressive lawmaker mostly stopped her criticism there, though, recognizing that the party needs to be united in order to pass President Joe Biden's massive "Build Back Better" social spending package.
.@AOC then claims \u201cI\u2019m not trying to start beef with people.\u201dpic.twitter.com/GeEu2WkEI2
— John Gage (@johnrobertgage) 1636030192
She did manage to call the claim that progressives lost Virginia for the Democrats a "clown argument."
It's safe to say Ocasio-Cortez's argument is well outside the mainstream. Many pundits blamed the Democratic Party's losses in the commonwealth on Americans' dissatisfaction with the party's drift to the radical left.
In Virginia, it's likely that voters were particularly disenchanted with the left's push for race-based curriculum, extensive COVID-19 lockdowns, and transgender-affirming policies in schools.
Democratic strategist James Carville blamed "stupid wokeness" for the Democrats' peril on Tuesday, arguing "these people need to go to a woke detox center or something."
The New York Times editorial board called the results "a grave marker of political peril" as "Democrats, looking left on so many priorities and so much messaging, have lost sight of what can unite the largest number of Americans."
"What is badly needed is an honest conversation in the Democratic Party about how to return to the moderate policies and values," the Times board argued.
Republicans, for their part, hope their Democratic opponents favor Ocasio-Cortez's argument over the Times editorial board's rationale, the Daily Wire reported.
"That's right, Dems. The answer is to run more progressive candidates and campaigns. Go with that. Test that theory at scale. We're begging you," wrote political commentator Drew Holden on Twitter.
Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw (Texas) added, "Yes Democrats, listen to AOC. You aren't radical enough… THAT'S the problem."
Finally, columnist Karol Markowicz quipped, "She's right. Democrats should invite AOC to campaign for them in every state."
Virginia's lieutenant governor-elect, Republican Winsome Sears, laid down a challenge to MSNBC's Joy Reid Wednesday night, daring the progressive news anchor to invite her on her show to have a "real discussion" about race and politics in America.
Reid had claimed during MSNBC's election night coverage that "white nationalism" played a major part in Republicans' sweep of three statewide offices. But those comments didn't sit well with Sears, who on Tuesday became the first black female lieutenant governor in Virginia's history.
"You have to be willing to vocalize that these Republicans are dangerous. This is not a party that is just another political party that disagrees with us on tax policy. At this point, they are dangerous to our national security," Reid said Tuesday night, arguing that Republicans were "stoking" white nationalism.
Speaking with Fox News's Martha MacCallum on Wednesday, Sears responded by daring Reid to raise that argument with her face-to-face.
"I wish Joy Reid would invite me on her show. Let's see if she is woman enough to do that. I would go in a heartbeat, and we will have a real discussion without Joy speaking about me behind my back," Sears blasted. "She talks about white supremacy. Does she know that I ran against a white supremacist? Joy, come on. Get your facts straight and then come talk to me."
Sears doubled down on Twitter, calling Reid's comments "shameful."
Winsome Sears challenges Joy Reid to debate after 'dangerous' claim www.youtube.com
Sears, a Marine Corps veteran and naturalized U.S. citizen from Jamaica, delivered a rousing speech Tuesday night after defeating Democrat Hala Ayala, in which she referred to herself as "living proof" of the American dream.
She repeated that same sentiment on Wednesday while criticizing Democratic attempts to divide the country along racial lines.
"We are framing too many issues in terms of race. It continues to divide us. And unfortunately, politicians are using it as a tool because of the things that happened to us historically to advance, I think, their nefarious purposes," she told MacCaullum.
"If we stop looking at race and look at people. You see, I am destroying all of the narratives about race. Look at me! Look at me!" she continued. "I am a heartbeat away from the governorship, in case anything happens to the governor."
"How are you going to tell me I am a victim?" she asked. "And I didn't do anything special to get here, except stay in school and study. I took advantage of the opportunities available here in America."
Sears' victory came as part of a GOP sweep of three statewide offices in Virginia that sent shock waves across the country.
On Tuesday, Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe in the race for governor, and Republican Del. Jason Miyares defeated incumbent Democratic incumbent Mark Herring to become the state's next attorney general.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Wednesday chastised Democrats, saying that GOP victories in Tuesday's elections show there is no mandate for a "radical social takeover" of the country.
Speaking on the Senate floor the day after Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated Democratic former Gov. Terry McAuliffe in Virginia's gubernatorial race, McConnell said Democrats have overreached after their narrow victory in 2020 and that American voters don't want a far-left progressive agenda.
"Last night was a difficult evening for Democrats. The Democratic Party has wildly misread their mandate and let the radical left run the country. Local Democrats let teachers' unions keep schools shut months longer than necessary and told parents they didn't get a say in what their kids are learning," McConnell said.
The Republican leader blamed Democrats for rising prices of consumer goods before criticizing how President Joe Biden has handled the economy, foreign policy, immigration, and other "government-created crises."
He also took the opportunity to criticize the Democrats' proposed $1.75 trillion spending bill, which was originally a $3.5 trillion bill until moderate Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) forced Democrats to compromise to win his support.
"The American people will not stand for this. That's what voters told Democrats last night. The results from different parts of the country demonstrate this was in large part a referendum on national issues," he said. "But it's not too late. Democrats should listen to the voters, drop this reckless taxing and spending spree, and stop trying to ram through a socialist transformation that the American people never asked for. The radical transformation that Democrats are writing behind closed doors would compound every mistake their party has made."
JUST IN: McConnell Celebrates Youngkin Victory, 'Difficult Night For Democrats' www.youtube.com
"This radical social takeover is the last thing Americans need and the last thing Americans want. The voters of America just gave our colleagues a preview of that fact last night. They should pull back from the brink while they can," McConnell added.
Tuesday night was a rousing success for the Republican Party nationwide.
In addition to Youngkin's victory in the gubernatorial election, Virginia Republicans won the races for lieutenant governor and attorney general for the first time since 2009. Virginia Republicans also reclaimed a majority in the lower house of the state legislature.
In New Jersey, Republican Jack Ciattarelli ran closely with incumbent Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, and the race is too close to call. When Murphy was first elected in 2017, he won handily by 14 points over his Republican opponent.
Meanwhile in Minneapolis, voters rejected a controversial proposal to replace the police department with a "Department of Public Safety," defeating a measure supported by "defund the police" activists.
The National Republican Congressional Committee responded to Tuesday's results by expanding its list of incumbent House Democrats targeted for defeat by 13.
"In a cycle like this, no Democrat is safe," NRCC Chairman Tom Emmer said. "Voters are rejecting Democrat policies that have caused massive price increases, opened our borders, and spurred a nationwide crime wave."
Winsome Sears, an immigrant, a Marine Corps veteran, and now the first black woman elected lieutenant governor in Virginia, delivered a triumphant and patriotic speech at Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin's victory party early Wednesday, claiming victory in her own right after Tuesday's election.
"I'm telling you that what you are looking at is the American dream," Sears said, with her husband and two daughters standing beside her.
Sears, a Jamaican immigrant and naturalized U.S. citizen, previously made history as the first black Republican woman elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2002, defeating a 20-year Democratic incumbent. She served one term before unsuccessfully running for Congress in 2004.
Now, she's made history again by defeating Democrat Hala Ayala in Virginia's lieutenant governor race, winning an estimated 51% of the vote Tuesday.
Prior to entering politics, Sears was the director of a Salvation Army homeless shelter. She also owns an appliance repair store in Virginia and has previously served as vice president of the Virginia Board of Education.
In her speech, Sears celebrated the progress the United States has made on civil rights for non-white Americans and immigrants since her father came to the U.S. in 1963 with just "$1.75" in his pocket.
"I am not even first-generation American," Sears said. "When I joined the Marine Corps, I was still a Jamaican. But this country had done so much for me, I was willing to die for this country."
She then led the jubilant crowd in a "USA" chant before continuing.
Winsome Sears to be Virginia's first woman of color to serve as Lt Gov www.youtube.com
"I say to you, there are some who want to divide us and we must not let that happen. They would like us to believe we are back in 1963 when my father came. We can live where we want. We can eat what we want. We own the water fountains. We've had a black president elected not once, but twice, and here I am, living proof," Sears said, to wild cheers.
"In case you haven't noticed, I am black. And I have been black all my life, but that's not what this is about," she continued.
"What we are going to do is we are going to now be about the business of the Commonwealth," she said. "We have things to tend to. We are going to fully fund our historically black colleges and universities. ... We're going to have safer neighborhoods, safer communities, and our children are going to get a good education. Because education lifted my father out of poverty, education lifted me out of poverty, education will lift us all out of poverty. We must have marketable skills so that our children can not just survive but they will thrive, and they will create generational wealth. That's what this is about."
"I didn't run to make history," Sears said. "I just wanted to leave it better than I found it."
Sears' victory is part of a Republican sweep of Virginia's statewide races, with Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin defeating former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe for governor and Republican Del. Jason Miyares defeating incumbent Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring in that race.
Republicans have not won any of these statewide races since 2009.
As of Wednesday morning, the GOP also appeared to be on track to capture control of the House of Delegates.
Over the course of the five days after the controversy broke, major CBS, ABC, and PBS broadcast shows refused to discuss Democrat Jay Jones’ violent text messages in which he fantasized about assassinating a political opponent, a new analysis revealed. NBC alone dedicated a mere 63 seconds to the Virginia attorney general candidates’ texts, Media […]
In response to a Federalist inquiry, not a single Democrat U.S. Senator called for the Virginia Democrat attorney general candidate Jay Jones to drop out of the race in light of his text messages fantasizing about assassinating Republican Todd Gilbert. “Put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets […]
Republican Virginia gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears quickly called on Jones to drop out of the race on Friday, linking him with his 'running mate' Spanberger.
Since honest elections benefit everyone, what would motivate efforts to prevent even the most basic confirmation of election results?
Bills awaiting action by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin would allow for the expansion of ranked-choice voting and the use of less secure IDs.
www.theblaze.com