- My understanding. - Based on reports I'm getting from campaigns and communities, is that, We have not yet seen the same kinds. [00:00:15] Of energy and turnout in all corners. - Of our neighborhoods and communities. - As we saw when I was running. Now. I also want to say that that seems to be more pronounced with the breakfast. [00:00:39] Yesterday, Barack Obama spoke at his first rally for Kamala Harris's presidential campaign. But just before he took the stage, he suggested that black men aren't supporting Kamala Harris because they're misogynistic. Just a moment. We're going to hear about how friend of the show, Nina Turner, [00:00:55] criticized Obama's comments on CNN. But first, let's watch the rest of what Obama had to say about black men. He spoke for a while. So let's start with Obama's argument for why black men should support Kamala Harris. Take a look. So if you don't mind, just for a second, I'm going to speak to y'all directly. [00:01:15] And say that. When you have a choice that is this clear. When on the one hand, you have somebody. Who grew up like those you. [00:01:36] Went to college with you. Understands the struggles and pain and joy that comes from those experiences, and is putting forward concrete proposals to directly address the things [00:01:57] that are vital in our neighborhoods and our communities, from housing to making sure that our mothers and our fathers and our grandparents can afford medicine. [00:02:14] And now let's watch Obama state why he thinks men aren't supporting Harris because of misogyny. Take a look. And you're coming up with all kinds of reasons and excuses. [00:02:29] I've got a problem with that because. Because part of it makes me think when I'm speaking to men directly now, part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren't feeling the idea of having a woman as president. [00:02:45] Anybody you are talking to in a barber shop, anybody you are talking to in your house, in your family, And a church who is coming with that kind of attitude. I think you have to ask them, well, how can that be? [00:03:05] Because the women in our lives have been getting our backs this entire time. They've been raising us and working and having our backs. And so now you're thinking about sitting out or even supporting somebody. [00:03:27] - Who has a history. - Of denigrating you. Because you think that's a sign of strength. Because that's what being a man is. Putting women down. [00:03:47] That's not acceptable. Now, like I said at the top, Nina Turner disagreed. So let's take a look and see what she had to say on that CNN panel. - Take a look. - Why are black men being lectured to? Why are black men being belittled in ways that no other voting group? [00:04:06] Now, a lot of love for former President Obama, but for him to single out black men is wrong. And some of the black men that I have talked to have their reasons why they want to vote a different way. And even if some of us may not like that, we have to respect it. [00:04:24] So unless President Barack Obama is going to go out and lecture every other group of men from other identity groups, my message for Democrats is don't bring it here. Two black men who, by and large, don't vote much differently from black women. [00:04:40] And as a politician, we should be trying to get all voters to vote. And hopefully there are a few good men out there who do care about the stripping away of some of women's bodily autonomy, but this is wrong for President Obama. It is a wrong course for the Harris campaign. [00:04:59] I want to open it up to you guys. I'm curious how you both feel about and react to what Obama had to say. Yeah, I got strong feelings, but wise. You go first. I could probably come in on tight for like, better part of three years. [00:05:17] Now. I want to say something close to that. Maybe even more than maybe four years now. And I've watched, like, police shooting clips and all kinds of, like, racist stuff and all of that. And I don't think I've ever seen a clip that makes my blood boil as much as [00:05:35] watching Barry, sit up there and lecture black men about why it's their duty to vote for some freaking Democratic Party. You know, basically black, right? One. I hate just what this guy has. [00:05:54] He has. I hate what he stands for. I can't say I hate the guy. I don't know him, but just this idea that he's the all knowing, he's the smart, noble genius. And, you know, we don't know any better. [00:06:10] We needed direction from the great Barack Obama because people are not smart enough. Particularly black people aren't smart enough to realize that he did nothing for anybody while he was up there. [00:06:26] He talks about in the beginning of that clip, he talked about, it's not the same enthusiasm and turnout, like when he was running and his campaign. Maybe he should stop and think that that's his fault, like his administration was a failure for these same people that he claims is [00:06:45] their duty to vote for Kamala Harris. Like it's crazy. That doesn't even dawn on this dude. That part of the reason people don't care is because you failed this specific demographic. So this idea that you need to come out now and go test this, how could you ever not [00:07:03] vote for the Dems or Sister Kamala Harris? You must be some crazy misogynist or self-hating negro. It's absurd. And it's in line with a greater theme in the Democratic Party when they don't get things done, when they don't win electorally, [00:07:21] it's no different than Hillary talking about it was the Russian bots and all of these other excuses and misogyny that didn't get her elected. The Democratic Party somehow wants us to believe that they themselves can never fail. They can only be failed by deplorables and black men [00:07:38] who don't want to vote for Kamala Harris. It's not that they should be courting the votes of these people. It's not that they should be going out and making an affirmative case for themselves, and then sitting and looking in the mirror as to why somebody might not want to get [00:07:54] up and vote for some Democratic politician just because they're black. You know? No, it's that like, these people are failing the godly and saintly Democrats. It's absurd. So I want to look, I'm going to give you numbers and receipts in a second [00:08:11] that prove that you're right was. But let me make your blood boil a little bit more, because whenever anybody says something like what you just said, they'll say, oh, so you're supporting Trump. What do you say to that was. [00:08:26] Like, and if I were and if and if somebody is okay and what. Yes, I'm supporting Trump. Like what was so great about supporting Barry and his bank bailouts and his indiscriminate drone war? What was so great about that? [00:08:43] What was so great about his cozy ass administration with Wall Street? What was so amazing about that black homeownership, black wealth plummeted under this guy's administration. And I'm talking just and I'm not talking about all Americans. [00:08:59] Like what was so great about the alternative. That's what I would say to them. What's so awesome about voting for Democrats, specifically the Obama and Harris brand of establishment corporatist as hell Democrats? [00:09:15] - What's so great about it? - Yeah, but you're not voting for Trump. No. Come on, man. Give me give it a rest, man. Okay, so, look, now let me give you the numbers. So look, I on the one hand, I understand that Kamala Harris is not doing as well. [00:09:34] It's just a little bit of a difference, but a little bit of a difference could make a big difference in the swing states, etc.. Not doing as well with black male voters as she is with black female voters. It's, but and then there are potentially positive ways to handle that. Right. And in fact, we always give constructive critiques. [00:09:50] I'll tell you how I would handle it in a second. But I don't think that the way that they're handling it is constructive. I agree with was. So it's one thing for Barack Obama to come out and be this, you know, the person leading the effort to bring black male voters in. [00:10:05] There's logic in that, and there's a reason why they asked him to do it and not someone else. Right. But the way that he lectured them, oof, yeah, it was super uncomfortable. It felt like lecturing and shaming. And Nina Turner makes a great point. [00:10:24] Oftentimes when Democrats do this, the next stage of this is after they lose the election, then they turn around and blame them and go, yeah, the black male vote cost us. It's their fault. No, listen to was you have to earn their vote. [00:10:39] That sense of entitlement is maddening. Okay, so but let me show you the numbers as to why this idea that black males are leaving the Democratic Party because they're sexist is wrong. Because we had another woman run for president against Donald Trump. [00:10:54] That was back in 2016, Hillary Clinton. So what was the vote back then? Hillary Clinton won 81% of the black male vote. In 2016, Donald Trump only won 14%. Okay. Now, how are they doing today? Well, black male voters who think Harris would make a good president [00:11:10] is down to 66%. And percent of black male voters who think Trump would make a good president is up to 21%. So what happened? Did black males get more sexist in these last eight years? No, of course not. It's not about look, it's I'm not saying that there's no sexist guys out there [00:11:29] that are not going to vote for a female president. Of course there are. Right. Are they largely in the other party? Of course. Right. I'm not saying there aren't any Democrats that it affects, but it's that's not the thing moving these numbers. The thing that's moving these numbers is lack of delivery to this group. [00:11:48] And so what are they looking for? Are they looking for extra rights? No. They're looking for the same thing everybody is. Jobs, better paying jobs, higher wages, better health care. And for you to take care of the average American. [00:12:03] So that's what they're getting frustrated by. And and we don't agree with that. Hey you get so frustrated you turn to Trump because that's not going to help you at all. It's going to make it worse. We understand that the great majority of black male voters understand that, right? But they're saying, yes, but how many times am I going to vote for you? [00:12:20] So last time, I mean, if you just look at issues that are considered more African American, that's already a bit absurd. But in this case, I get it. Voting rights. Right? Well, you didn't deliver on that either. You didn't even try to deliver on that. Manchin said no. And you said, yes, sir, of course, sir. [00:12:35] And you didn't think it was a big deal? Well, filibusters, there's nothing we could do. Do you know that they got rid of the filibuster to, allow the the cap on on our debt to go up? Why? Because if they didn't, that would have affected the stock market and it would have affected rich people. [00:12:51] So when it affects rich people, the filibuster is irrelevant. When it affects voting rights or health care or wages. All of a sudden, no filibuster. And so at this point, people are saying, how often am I going to take your lies and say, thank you, sir? [00:13:07] Right. So having Barack Obama now enormously elite, come and lecture black male voters about how they're the sexist ones and they need to do better. That is not the correct strategy. It does not sit well. [00:13:22] And you see it in the reaction that was had. So I do as I promised that I would be constructive. So one quick thing here, guys, even if you're concerned about that demographic and you want to improve the numbers. They're a very legitimate goal. Moving the numbers in any demographic is a legitimate goal. [00:13:40] I mean, you could put it in a completely positive way so they don't feel like you're talking down to them and blaming them, etc.. And so you can say, hey, listen, how many times have black women delivered for us? And you could make it personal if you're Barack Obama? [00:13:56] They helped put me in office. Right. And how many times have they delivered in our lives? Not necessarily black women, just women. Right. And so let's do our turn. I love being a community. I love working together. So let's all work together. [00:14:11] They had our back, let's have their back, etc. Put a positive spin on it. Instead of like pointing your finger or wagging your finger at them. Why are you so sexist if all the I don't know. Okay, last thing here. I'm curious about what both of you guys think. I think that if all black male voters heard that message, they would [00:14:30] lose more voters than they would gain. - What do you think was. - Yes. I think anybody who watched Barry lecture people about why they should be shamed, ashamed of themselves if they don't vote for Kamala Harris is insane. And another thing that folks got to realize, [00:14:47] that doesn't really get talked about, Barry and his campaign in zero 8 in 2012. They put together one of the, like, legitimately impressive grassroots organizing situations that the country has ever seen, legitimate work in terms [00:15:07] of on the ground knocking on doors. This thing was a movement. Both of his campaigns were movements, and as soon as he got reelected, he just threw it in the trash. So this idea that that same Obama campaign, that Obama coalition isn't [00:15:25] no longer there to support Kamala? Well, Barry, you were the one that threw it in the trash you wanted nothing to do with grassroots organizing anymore, and I think he's been unmasked since he left the office. Man, all this guy wants to do is be a, you know, a a movie producer, TV show producer. [00:15:44] You know, the Julia Roberts joint where there was a black freaking banker who was like a conductor in the Philharmonic. Like, that's what he wants to do. He wants to produce movies that, like, you know, basically shine, burnish his own identity as a black elite and how great they are. [00:16:01] He wants to get, you know, hundreds of millions of dollars from Jeff Bezos to, you know, build a personal shrine to himself, call the presidential library. That's who he is. He's not out there doing anything for or with normal, everyday people. [00:16:18] He's done. He just wants to be on Martha's Vineyard, be rich as hell, hobnob with Hollywood people and just be a celebrity. And then, you know, every four years, he gets the parachute in and lecture the plebs. Lecture the pause about how stupid they are for not just going with [00:16:38] whatever cockamamie plan the Democrats spring on people without actually courting these folks and explaining to them, this is why this, our administration is going to be great, despite the fact we sold you. Sane people on the idea that a candidate's blackness in the highest office was going [00:16:59] to make things so much better for you. So that idea and did not deliver you were a complete and utter failure for black people. He failed them. There's no other way to put it. So for this guy to parachute in, you know, fresh off of his big ass yacht [00:17:18] in Martha's Vineyard and come tell people like, you're so sexist. If you don't love Kamala Harris, It's insanity. Guys. Yeah, I think we're at a time now where you have a prolonged news cycle [00:17:37] around Ta-Nehisi Coates's new book, and the interviews are contentious, especially the CBS one, because he talks about how he sees the fight for Palestinian liberation as an intersectional fight and, you know, struggles for liberation are connected. [00:17:53] And I'm sure that's not the only reason that some black men are not supporting Kamala Harris. But I think it wouldn't be a surprise if that's one of the reasons, one of the many reasons they might not be. And I think for him to come in and say hey, after to your point was he doesn't [00:18:10] just parachute in for the general. He will parachute in for the primary as well. It's what he did in 2020 to make sure Biden got the nomination. So Bernie didn't after Bernie was gaining steam in the first few states. So he he will do it to preserve the status quo and and the issues [00:18:27] that both of you laid out. How has that changed? How has that materially and significantly improved the lives of anybody, especially black men in this country over the past 12 years? Maintaining the status quo has not worked for them. [00:18:43] And if they're disillusioned by the system, if they're cynical, it's not that they're stupid and don't recognize the risks. I think that's insulting. They certainly recognize the risks, but they don't want to be part of the game. They don't want to be part of this, you know, emotional cudgel that they're using that, oh, well, you're a misogynist if you don't support her. [00:19:01] Would you say the same thing if they didn't support Nikki Haley? Is that why they didn't like Nikki Haley? Come on. What are we doing here? It's a lazy attack. It doesn't work. People see right through it. But also, I can't help but notice he's doing this to what looks to be a campaign office with just a maybe [00:19:20] a dozen black men who are on staff. Maybe there's more behind the cameras. I can't tell, but this isn't some rally. This isn't out in public. This isn't on a publicly facing event. I would like to see how that line to a larger crowd of black men would be received. [00:19:35] I'm genuinely curious, because I just don't think many people would like that. I think it's insulting. Yeah. Last word goes to one of our members on YouTube. Bernie said Obama is going with the you're not black if you don't vote for us gag. [00:19:52] So it it feels at least adjacent to that. It's amazing how out of touch they are with regular folks. So, yes, the alternative is monstrous and and worse. But we keep asking for the Democratic Party to do better, [00:20:09] and they keep saying no. All right. 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