1 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to WIKA F Daily with 2 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: Meet your Girl Danielle Moody, recording from the Brooklyn Bunker. So, folks, 3 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: a little bit of breaking news today is that apparently 4 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: Democrats have given up. That's the breaking news. Essentially, several 5 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:35,239 Speaker 1: bipartisan I guess Republican and Democratic governors found their way 6 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 1: to the White House this week, where Democrats have decided 7 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: that they're going to ease their mask mandates. They're just 8 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: going to stop using them for indoors because the omicron 9 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: surge has begun to recede, and so let's continue to 10 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: make the same mistakes over and over again. Here's the thing. 11 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: When I woke up to the news, particularly coming out 12 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: of New York that Governor Hokeel was going to ease 13 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: indoor mask mandates, you know, to help businesses, well, I 14 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: can tell you this, Governor, none of the businesses in 15 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: New York are fucking suffering. The fact is is that 16 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 1: the rest of us who had begun to become accustomed 17 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,759 Speaker 1: to showing our vaccination to going back to indoor dining 18 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 1: into a place where we could feel safe because we 19 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: knew that the people that were proprietors have said business 20 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: were following. I don't know the rules, the rules that 21 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 1: were laid out not by you, Governor, but two years 22 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: ago by your predecessor, who instead of following trends. And 23 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,400 Speaker 1: let me say, there's a lot to fucking say about 24 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: Andrew Cuomo. There's a lot to say about his relationships 25 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: with women. There's a lot to say about his unprofessionalism 26 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 1: and harassment, sexual harassment in the workplace. There's a lot 27 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: to say about that. All of that said, I'm going 28 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: to say this, which is wildly unpopular. Hi didn't follow 29 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: the fucking bad pace that America was setting around the 30 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: COVID nineteen pandemic. No, he set the pace. He allowed 31 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: New York to set the pace for our COVID nineteen response. 32 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 1: And what Governor hokel is doing by lifting the mask 33 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: mandates and saying, oh well, what about the children, isn't 34 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: following the fucking science. It is following the poll numbers. 35 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 1: So let's be clear about what is actually happening right now, 36 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: because the reality is this. It took about six to 37 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 1: seven months between the alpha variant of COVID nineteen and 38 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: the delta variant. It took another six to seven months 39 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: between the delta variant that ran rampant to then get 40 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: to omicron. So if you want to follow the fucking 41 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 1: facts and follow science, then follow common sense that would 42 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: tell you that as soon as this surge obates, that 43 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: there is another one coming on its heels. So why 44 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: you would all this side to give Republicans a win 45 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: and talking points for the midterm election saying that Liberals 46 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: and Democrats are just fearmongerers and just want to scare 47 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: you and scare your children and harm them. And now 48 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: can hold up and say, well, see see they're even 49 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: easing the mass mandates so that when the next fucking 50 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: variant comes, which is inevitable, that then you're going to 51 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: have to try and corral all of these people who 52 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: you have guests lit into believing that we are quote 53 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 1: unquote beyond the fucking pandemic, to try and go back 54 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: into safety measures again. See how well that's going to 55 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: fucking work. So here's what I realize and what I have. 56 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: What it is so hard for me to say, as 57 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: someone that entered into politics twenty some odd years ago 58 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: with great faith and naive belief that only a small 59 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: group of people could change the world, that it was 60 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: the earnest and the passionate, and those that would lift 61 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: and harry the torches of people who have long since passed, 62 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: activists and thought leaders and judges and representatives who stood 63 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: for something. The reality is much that was expressed in 64 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:19,919 Speaker 1: the Matrix resurrections. These people don't want to be woke, 65 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: not the Democrats, certainly, not the fucking Republicans. They don't 66 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 1: want to live consciously. They want to live under the 67 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 1: cloud of capitalism and white patriarchy and white supremacy. Right, 68 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: they want to be moved in that way. They are 69 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 1: going to move and make decisions that are based on 70 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: poll numbers and politics and midterm elections or presidential elections. 71 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:49,159 Speaker 1: They are not making decisions based on your well being. Right, 72 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: they would rather stay asleep. And so here is my 73 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: note to the rest of us, to folks who actually care, 74 00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 1: don't look to your government to do things for you 75 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 1: that you're not going to do for yourself, because, frankly, friends, 76 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 1: we have reached a point in America the final fucking episode, 77 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 1: right the series finale, we have reached a point where 78 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:13,919 Speaker 1: it is evident that it does not matter who is 79 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: in charge. And I say that, I say that with 80 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: such frustration and anger. Sure you can tell me that 81 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: if Donald Trump had been elected to a second term 82 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:27,279 Speaker 1: that the country would be in the shitter. Tell me 83 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 1: how much worse things would be, because at least I 84 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: would still have the belief that there were people that 85 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: were out there that were wanting right to do the 86 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 1: right thing, that we're willing to create equity and well 87 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,279 Speaker 1: being and put public safety and health first. But what 88 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: I realize now is that that is not the case, right, 89 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: It's not so Republicans maybe rabid and cultish and disgusting 90 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:58,279 Speaker 1: and horrible cesspool of a party, but Democrats are no 91 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: fucking better. So at this stage of the pandemic of 92 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 1: our lives, of our awareness, I say this, take care 93 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: of yourself. If you are headed into crowded public spaces 94 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 1: and places, do what is best for you right to 95 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: keep yourself safe, your community and those that you care 96 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 1: about safe. Because your government is no longer doing that. 97 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 1: So whatever fucking guidelines that they're deciding to lift, it 98 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: is not the science that they are following. It is 99 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 1: nobody's recommendation that we do that, particularly fucking now, right, 100 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: so we know what it is and it ain't about 101 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 1: public health. That's number one. Number two is something that 102 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: I have not covered on woke f and I'm going 103 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 1: to be better about doing so. Another breaking news story 104 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: this week as we round out the week here, six 105 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 1: schools in Washington d C. Six schools in Washington DC 106 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: on Wednesday were evacuated, one of which was Dunbar, a 107 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: school in Washington, DC that the Second Gentleman Vice President 108 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: Kamala Harris's husband was visiting for a Black History Month. 109 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: This is now just fucking the norm. Right, school shootings, 110 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 1: we don't really blink an eye out anymore and less 111 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: you know, more than five kids are murdered. Right. Bomb threats, 112 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: we don't blink an eye out unless something explodes. Right. 113 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: There have been a series of bomb threats that have 114 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: been happening at historically black colleges and universities HBCUs across 115 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: this country. There have been a series of bomb threats 116 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: at black churches across this country. Mainstream news has decided 117 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,320 Speaker 1: that that's not really important. We don't really care, We 118 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: don't give a damn about collective public safety, and we 119 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: sure as fuck don't care about black people's safety. Right, So, 120 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: when I saw the news break, you would think that 121 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: it would put things out a standstill, right, that we 122 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: would then have these conversations about what about the kids 123 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: and what kind of world are we giving them and 124 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: all of these things. The reality is is that no 125 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 1: one gives a shit. Democrats don't give a shit. Republicans 126 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: don't give a shit. Right. I watched a video. Let 127 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: me tell you something. I watched a video of a 128 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: candidate for Texas. I would say that the woman is 129 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: running for some type of state senate or something like that, 130 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: who made the most disgusting, fucking claims about trans youth 131 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 1: and about how they make her feel uncomfortable. Because this 132 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 1: is the new right, the new term that Governor DeSantis 133 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: gave to the aggrieved, why rage filled racist and homophobes 134 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:06,199 Speaker 1: and transphobes and islamophobes and all of the fucking fobes 135 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 1: right where you can say that you're uncomfortable, right, And 136 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 1: she said she was uncomfortable with having a trans student 137 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: in her classroom, that she couldn't allow the other kids 138 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 1: to make fun of I shit, you fucking not go 139 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:24,439 Speaker 1: on my Twitter and go find that video. It was absurd, 140 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:28,839 Speaker 1: It was disgraceful. Right, But you see, all you need 141 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 1: to do in America is target right, a class of people, 142 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: a group of people, a community of people that no 143 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 1: one gives a fuck about, and then you do whatever 144 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 1: you say, whatever you act, however right until eventually you 145 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: move on from that marginalized group to another one that 146 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: maybe has more backing, more money, more limelight, more awareness. 147 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: That's what America is going from. It's a fucking answer 148 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: right that we are seeing that Republicans just spread and 149 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 1: Democrats who just lay back and allow it to happen. 150 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: And so, folks, I am at a place I'm not 151 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: a place in my life and in my career where 152 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: I am really asking myself what am I doing? What 153 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 1: am I doing? What have I spent the last twenty 154 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: something years doing to try and create a better society, 155 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: to try and wake people up to social ills that 156 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: they may not have been aware of, with the naive 157 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: belief that when people knew better, they would do better. 158 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: Except what I am realizing and what is being mirrored 159 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 1: back to me, is that Americans don't want to do better. 160 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 1: They don't want to know more, they don't want to 161 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: expand their way of thinking, they don't want to think critically, 162 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: they don't want to think critically, not about a pandemic, 163 00:10:56,200 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: not about climate change, not about white supremacy, not about capitalism, 164 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 1: not about anything. They just want the quote unquote norm right. 165 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: They just want the ability to bury their heads in 166 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 1: the sand and hope that everything around them doesn't crumble 167 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 1: because it's somebody else's responsibility to deal with. And So 168 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 1: I sit here, and I'm gonna be transparent and honest. 169 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:24,080 Speaker 1: I sit here after years of being on radio and 170 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 1: being a podcaster, after over a decade of being in media, 171 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:34,200 Speaker 1: over two right in being in politics, and I'm saying 172 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 1: to myself, what the fuck am I doing with my life? 173 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: That is real fucking talk. Because if the premise is 174 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 1: to make people conscious, but yet the people are telling 175 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 1: you they would rather stay asleep, well then what I 176 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: am doing doesn't actually make any sense anymore, does it. 177 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: And so that's the place that I am finding myself 178 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: and why I have said and at the beginning of 179 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: the week, that we need more balance right in our lives, 180 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 1: and we need to stop looking outside of ourselves for 181 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 1: that balance to come. It occurred to me on my 182 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: walk today that you know, if you were to ask 183 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 1: any black person in America, if you were to ask 184 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 1: any Jewish person whose family survived the Holocaust, do you 185 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 1: believe right that government will keep you safe? Both of 186 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:49,559 Speaker 1: these groups, and I lift them up because there are 187 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: both groups that have been in the press, in the media, 188 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 1: in the crosshairs for the last couple of weeks because 189 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 1: of Joe Rogan, because of the view, because of you know, 190 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 1: be Goldberg and what's happening at Spotify and all of 191 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:09,080 Speaker 1: these things. If you were to ask them, do you 192 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: believe that government, whether state, local, right, or federal, are 193 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:21,320 Speaker 1: there to keep you safe? Will protect you as you 194 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:27,599 Speaker 1: are watching this assault happen right as you're watching schools 195 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 1: get bomb threats, people armed right being able to shoot 196 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 1: and kill whomever they want and get off scott free 197 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:40,319 Speaker 1: like Kyle Rittenhouse. When you see all of these things happening, 198 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,840 Speaker 1: I guarantee you there is not a person in either 199 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: of those groups or people that live at the intersection 200 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,839 Speaker 1: that will tell you, oh, yeah, I totally have faith 201 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 1: in government to keep me safe. It has been government. 202 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: Was government right in Germany that allowed for the persecution 203 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: and murder of overseas million fucking people, right. It was 204 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:10,119 Speaker 1: government in the United States that allowed for enslaved Africans 205 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 1: to be used as fucking human machines for centuries and 206 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: then tortured thereafter with their laws right of inequity and injustice. 207 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: So why now did I believe that we had moved 208 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: to a place where government assumed the role of responsibility 209 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: to all of its citizens. No, because we are seeing 210 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: the total and complete regression of that before long, dear 211 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:55,240 Speaker 1: listeners and watchers, Before long, the new Jim Crow error 212 00:14:55,400 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 1: will be among us. And so if we are not 213 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 1: finding ways to ground ourselves and center ourselves in something 214 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: other than misery and recognizing that empires fall, they do right, 215 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: and sometimes they fall into the hands of the good, 216 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 1: but more than not they fall into the hands of 217 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 1: those that are bad, and they take control for sometimes 218 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: a couple of years, sometimes decades and centuries. But what 219 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 1: I know to be true is that the American Empire 220 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: is falling, and there isn't any one person or group 221 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 1: that is going to restore what people don't want restored. 222 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: What the masses have decided that they want to ignore. 223 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 1: They want back to normal, They want to hearken back 224 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: to a time when they can ignore everything that is 225 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 1: happening right and pretend all as well they want the 226 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 1: fairy tale of America, not the truth. And what's funny 227 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 1: is that there has been so much excavation and unearthing 228 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 1: over the last several years that you would think, right, 229 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 1: you would think that would you would think, folks, that 230 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: we would be charged up and feeling like we can 231 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:34,280 Speaker 1: make real change and real progress. But that progress, the 232 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 1: little that we have made since reconstruction, is being snatched. 233 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: It's being snatched from us, and Democrats aren't doing anything 234 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: to stop it. And so I sit here day after 235 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 1: day really wondering at the end of each and every week, 236 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 1: what I am doing, what any of us who have 237 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: chosen this field and this profession are doing. What is 238 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:09,880 Speaker 1: the goal? Because you can't force people to open up 239 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 1: eyes that they choose to keep closed. You can't force 240 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 1: people to assume power that they are acquiescing for their 241 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: ease and for their comfort. So then what do you do? 242 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: My choice, my decision, and hopefully I can model it 243 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 1: for other people, is I'm choosing me. I'm going to 244 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 1: choose joy. I'm going to continue to be aware right 245 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: of what is going on and to share that information 246 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:45,359 Speaker 1: with all of you. But then I'm going to choose 247 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: to fucking let it go, right, because it is not 248 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 1: going to be my cross to bear, or any of 249 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:56,919 Speaker 1: our cross to bear until we are dead and gone. 250 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: And it is important for us to realize that there 251 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:03,720 Speaker 1: is only so much to do that now. That is 252 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:07,400 Speaker 1: not to throw up my hands right and let these 253 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 1: people have their way with this country, but it is 254 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 1: to recognize that this is a marathon. The baton may 255 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: be in our hands right now, but it's getting ready 256 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 1: to be passed to the millennials, to Generation Z right 257 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: and to the youth who have more energy, better ideas, 258 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 1: better technology, and hopefully we'll figure out how we get 259 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 1: farther in this race, in this marathon than we have 260 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 1: because what we are giving to them to inherit is 261 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: a legacy of gun violence, bomb threats, a climate crisis, 262 00:18:56,040 --> 00:19:05,600 Speaker 1: a global health pandemic, racism, its supremacy, transphobia, homophobia, misogyny. 263 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: That's what our legacy is. That is what we are 264 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: passing on. Coming up next is my conversation with our 265 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: friend Ellie Mistole, who will talk about something good for 266 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 1: a change, which is the litany, the long laundry list 267 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: of exceptional black women for Joe Biden to choose from 268 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:34,360 Speaker 1: to replace Justice Bryer on the Supreme Court. That conversation 269 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 1: is coming to you next. Friends. You know that I 270 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: am always so excited when friend of the show and 271 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 1: friend of mine, Justice correspondent for the Nation, Ellie Mistol 272 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 1: joins Woke f Daily to break down the latest and 273 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:55,679 Speaker 1: greatest in all America's legal woes. But for this episode, 274 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: my goodness, we have something good to talk about. Not 275 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 1: the shit, not democracy crumbling, not the bad decisions that 276 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:07,439 Speaker 1: are coming out of Scotus, but Ellie, the potential that 277 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: Joe Biden is going to be the first politician ever 278 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:13,679 Speaker 1: to actually uphold one of a campaign promises that they 279 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 1: made to the black community, which was to imp point 280 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:21,240 Speaker 1: a black justice. Now that we know that Justice Stephen 281 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 1: Bryer is retiring at the end of this term, which 282 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 1: is assuming at the end of June, right, yes, So 283 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 1: tell us first, is this something we should be excited about? 284 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,160 Speaker 1: It is Black History Month, and I like to celebrate 285 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: all things black all year three hundred and sixty five. 286 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 1: But is this something that we should be excited about? 287 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 1: Or is it like the Maya Angelou on the Quarter 288 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,400 Speaker 1: and the celebration of Juneteenth even though we can't talk 289 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 1: about Juneteenth in schools. Is it you know, is it 290 00:20:54,760 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 1: something that is a to placate us or as yours 291 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: that you wrote in In the Nation entitled the many 292 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 1: remarkable Black women who could replace Stephen fryor please, it's 293 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: something that we should be celebrating. Yeah, No, I think 294 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: this is I think this is a good thing. First 295 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 1: of all, Hi, thanks for having me. No, I think 296 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:24,880 Speaker 1: this is an objectively good thing, not just for the symbolism, 297 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: although the symbolism is important. This country has been around 298 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: for almost two hundred and fifty years. There have been 299 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifteen Supreme Court justices. Zero of them 300 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: have been black women. Only one of them has been 301 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: a woman of color. In fact, the entire, the entire 302 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 1: and the entire history of America, the justices who were 303 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:53,959 Speaker 1: not sis hetero white men are Thurgood Marshall, Clarence Thomas, 304 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: Sandra Dale, O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elaina Kagan, Sonya Sotomayor, 305 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 1: and Amy Coney Barrett. I just named them all off 306 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 1: the top of my head. Okay, Like that's that's how 307 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:13,200 Speaker 1: few non sis hetero white men have been in charge 308 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:17,199 Speaker 1: of reading and interpreting our laws. So yeah, it's a 309 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 1: big deal when anybody who come who's not from that 310 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: tradition gets on the court. It was a big deal 311 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:27,679 Speaker 1: when Amy Coney Barrett became only the fifth woman in 312 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:30,439 Speaker 1: history to be on the Supreme Court. And it's certainly 313 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 1: a big deal when a woman of color gets an opportunity, 314 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: and particularly a black woman. So all of these things 315 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:40,439 Speaker 1: are are important and are more than mere symbolism. Is 316 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 1: it going to change our lives? Probably? Now? Right, do 317 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:48,400 Speaker 1: we win the publisher's clearing house? No? Like this same there, No, 318 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 1: black people are not going to get a prize in 319 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 1: the mail because the black woman is on the Supreme 320 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:56,359 Speaker 1: Court right now, right, the balance of power doesn't change. 321 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: It's still a six three court which will take rights 322 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:03,360 Speaker 1: away from black and brown people and women. Um, so 323 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 1: that is still like happening. Um there. A friend of 324 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:10,359 Speaker 1: mine said that it's typical right that that we're gonna 325 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 1: nominate a black woman onto the Spring Court just in 326 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: time for her to try to clean everything up, because 327 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 1: because the court's a mess right now and there's nothing 328 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:24,119 Speaker 1: one black person. Um, no matter how kind of remarkable 329 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: and exceptional she may be, there's no way she can 330 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 1: stop the madness um that is gripped the white wing 331 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:34,360 Speaker 1: and right wing on the Supreme Court right now. Um, 332 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 1: So it's not it's not a life changing appointment or 333 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 1: opportunity and the same it's not the same as when 334 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: Republicans frankly were able to steal the seats um from 335 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:48,920 Speaker 1: Barack Obama and get Neil Gorsuch on the score. That 336 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:53,639 Speaker 1: was a life changing momentum. This is not that, um, 337 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 1: But it's still important, it's still it's still positive, and 338 00:23:56,320 --> 00:24:00,880 Speaker 1: it's still again I think unquestionably good, not just because 339 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:03,440 Speaker 1: she's gonna be a black woman, but when you look 340 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:06,639 Speaker 1: at the kinds of people that Biden is looking at, 341 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 1: these are some really strong UM candidates, right, Like, I 342 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: don't want it's not it's not like you're looking for 343 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:18,439 Speaker 1: for Candice Owens, right. You're not going to point me 344 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: a love to the to the court, right, So it's not. 345 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,120 Speaker 1: It's not. It's going to be a person who happens 346 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,960 Speaker 1: to be a black woman who also is going to do, 347 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 1: you know, and believe and write a bunch of other 348 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 1: kinds of things and opinions, um, that are going to 349 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:35,160 Speaker 1: be on the court for the next you know, hopefully 350 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 1: thirty years. So you know, I want to talk for 351 00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:42,400 Speaker 1: a minute about the polls, which you know, folks who 352 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: listen to Woke app and listen to me know that 353 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:47,960 Speaker 1: I take poles with a grain of salt, but because 354 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 1: we use them in politics, Uh, it's it's important to 355 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:53,719 Speaker 1: lift up. So there's a pole that is going around 356 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 1: um and I saw it at the Hill dot com, 357 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: which is saying that most Democrats are excited about this 358 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:07,160 Speaker 1: excited about the potential of this choice, the symbolism of it, 359 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:15,720 Speaker 1: but also how they believe it can help energize the 360 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 1: Democratic base right now at a time when we need 361 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 1: energy and passion and excitement as we head into mid terms. 362 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,919 Speaker 1: But there is of course like forty percent of the 363 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:29,879 Speaker 1: population and probably more depending on how you ask the 364 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:35,640 Speaker 1: question and to whom and where that is using the 365 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:38,359 Speaker 1: usual defense, Ellie, which you brought up in your piece. 366 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:40,199 Speaker 1: So I just want to give you an opportunity to 367 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:43,159 Speaker 1: speak to it, which is, why can't Joe Biden just 368 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:46,679 Speaker 1: pick the most qualified person? Why does race have to 369 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 1: even play in? Why did he even have to say 370 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: and articulate that he was going to place a black 371 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 1: woman on the court. Why couldn't it just be I'm 372 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: going to place the most qualified you know candidate on 373 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 1: the court. Please articulate. You are pushed back to that 374 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 1: constant refrain that we hear. Yeah. So a couple of things. One, 375 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: why don't Republicans place the most qualified person on the 376 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:15,480 Speaker 1: court Because they don't. Okay, they place the most qualified 377 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:19,320 Speaker 1: white person on the court. Right. Donald Trump made two 378 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty six federal judge appointments. Eighty five percent 379 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: of those appointments were white. Seventy five percent of those 380 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:32,719 Speaker 1: appointments were male. You cannot tell me within good faith 381 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 1: that in our entire country, the most qualified qualified judge 382 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:40,560 Speaker 1: eighty five percent of the time is going to be 383 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:42,959 Speaker 1: a white person in a country that's only about sixty 384 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 1: percent white. Easimply, can't make me believe that. You cannot 385 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 1: tell me, in a country that's about evenly split between 386 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: men and women seventy five percent of the time, the 387 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 1: most qualified person to be a judge is gonna be 388 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:57,680 Speaker 1: a man. That just eight true. All right, So number one, 389 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:00,880 Speaker 1: y'all are the ones who are a little bit obsessed 390 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:05,720 Speaker 1: with race and gender when you pick yo judges. Number one. 391 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:10,920 Speaker 1: Number two, if we're talking about qualifications. You can't get 392 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:15,440 Speaker 1: more qualified than some of the judges that Biden could pick, 393 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:20,480 Speaker 1: even if he just focuses exclusively on the underrepresentative community 394 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:23,959 Speaker 1: of black women. All Right, you don't have a better 395 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 1: resume than some of these other women. You have at 396 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:31,160 Speaker 1: best and as good resume as some of these other women. Right, 397 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:35,199 Speaker 1: So the question of qualifications is really it's really reductive 398 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 1: because there are I mean, it depends on how you 399 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: think about this. I actually think that the Supreme Court 400 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 1: that it's a lot easier to be a Supreme Court 401 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:47,160 Speaker 1: justice than we think, right, Like, I think it's comparatively 402 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:50,600 Speaker 1: harder probably to be a rocket scientist or a brain 403 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 1: surgeon than it is to be a Supreme Court justice. 404 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:54,760 Speaker 1: But even if you want to say that there is 405 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 1: some you know, level bar whatever for qualifications, how many 406 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:01,520 Speaker 1: people do you think in the country could be a 407 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 1: Supreme Court justice? Right? I've got about like a million, 408 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 1: right in a country of three hundred and twelve million people. 409 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:14,200 Speaker 1: I figure a good, cool easy million people day could 410 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:16,639 Speaker 1: be a Supreme Court justice. Right, So you're gonna have 411 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 1: to if you're gonna have to whittle it down from 412 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:22,600 Speaker 1: a million or so into some kind of manageable number 413 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:26,040 Speaker 1: of three or four or five picks. And when you 414 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:28,960 Speaker 1: start to whittle it down, even if you just focus 415 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: on one underrepresented group, you're gonna find four or five 416 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:36,440 Speaker 1: six people who are as qualified or more qualified than 417 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 1: everybody else. That's just how it works. If he only 418 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: was gonna look at Asian Americans, he would find four 419 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 1: or five six qualified Asian Americans who were more qualified 420 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: or as qualified or anybody else if he focused on 421 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:52,800 Speaker 1: if he focused on the people who went to Disney 422 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 1: World in a three week period, he find one or 423 00:28:56,160 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 1: two people that are amazingly qualified for the Supreme Court. Right, 424 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 1: So the argument that he is somehow not picking the 425 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: most qualified people is bollocks on its face. He is 426 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 1: going to pick somebody who is as qualified as any 427 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:17,680 Speaker 1: justice sitting on the Court, and as any potential justice 428 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 1: out there. The issue is simply that instead of being 429 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 1: let Republicans and and favoring white males, hetero dudes, he's 430 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 1: going to focus on a different group. And I applauded 431 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 1: for it. Look, I said at the beginning after what 432 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: Trump did, and I don't think people really under fully 433 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 1: understand Trump is like the first president since Nixon not 434 00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:48,160 Speaker 1: to place a black woman on a federal court, all right, 435 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 1: like after Trump's, after what Trump tried to do to 436 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 1: just whitewash the federal judiciary. I said, I think around 437 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:00,960 Speaker 1: the inauguration that if ye have ask me to be 438 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:04,360 Speaker 1: a white man on a federal to get a federal 439 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:08,280 Speaker 1: judge appointment from this Democratic administration and be a white 440 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 1: man man, you'll ask be a belabierable to fly right 441 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 1: like you better like like I'm a judge and I 442 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 1: George cancer, Like you have to have some kind of 443 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: amazing qualification because right now there is a backlog of 444 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:28,840 Speaker 1: immensely qualified, overqualified people who couldn't get a look in 445 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 1: the previous administration, and quite frankly don't get a look 446 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:36,160 Speaker 1: whenever there's a Republican administration. Some of these people that 447 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 1: we're talking about as finalists for the Biden appointment, why 448 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:42,600 Speaker 1: didn't Trump vent some of these people? If all he 449 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:46,920 Speaker 1: was concerned about was qualifications. Trump himself said that he 450 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: wanted a woman to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg. That's Trump's words, 451 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:55,360 Speaker 1: not mine. The National Review wrote that they wanted a 452 00:30:55,640 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 1: woman to replace Gibbsburg so that when they overturn Roe v. Wade, 453 00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:04,280 Speaker 1: there would be a woman on their side. That's their words, 454 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:07,840 Speaker 1: not mine. So since they were so interested in getting 455 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 1: a woman, why didn't they that any of these very 456 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:14,719 Speaker 1: well qualified women. One of the finalists was actually a 457 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:17,480 Speaker 1: finalist for the merit for the appointment that went to 458 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 1: Merritt Garland that shouldn't unfortunately went to Merritt Garland during 459 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 1: the Obama administration. Why wasn't she brought back in for 460 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:29,440 Speaker 1: an interview with Trump? Because because Trump cared about the 461 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 1: race of the woman quite a bit, you know, And 462 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:35,800 Speaker 1: I just I you know. One of the reasons and 463 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 1: one of the many reasons why I always have you 464 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 1: one Wokate app is for this is for the straightforwardness, 465 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:46,240 Speaker 1: is because you know, all Republicans do is perpetuate a 466 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:50,480 Speaker 1: race war. All they do is think about race and 467 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 1: how it factors into every decision that it is that 468 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 1: they are making. But because there because their default is whiteness, right, 469 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 1: because we have no idea how to actually talk about 470 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:08,040 Speaker 1: race and racism in this country, we allow them to 471 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:11,240 Speaker 1: get away with it. Right. I don't remember any headlines 472 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 1: talking about any of the selection of Donald Trump's of 473 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:20,240 Speaker 1: them being seventy five percent mail and eighty five percent white. 474 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:22,720 Speaker 1: I don't remember that being a part of the of 475 00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:26,200 Speaker 1: the conversation. I do remember the American Bar Association saying 476 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:29,440 Speaker 1: a lot of those motherfuckers were not qualified to be 477 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 1: attorneys in general, let alone be sitting on anybody's federal bench. 478 00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:37,760 Speaker 1: So you know, I think that coming right here, Yes, 479 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 1: that point goes back back to where you start with 480 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:45,720 Speaker 1: the polls. Right. What you'll note is that the Hell 481 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:49,120 Speaker 1: and the ABC and the Wall Street Journal didn't pull 482 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 1: people on whether or they thought eighty five percent of 483 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:54,280 Speaker 1: the judges should be white under the Trump administration. Nobody 484 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:56,760 Speaker 1: asked them that. Nobody asked them if they thought seventy 485 00:32:56,760 --> 00:32:59,040 Speaker 1: five percent of the judges should be mail under the 486 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:02,400 Speaker 1: Trump administration. They never ask the American people if they're 487 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: okay with what white people do. They only ask the 488 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:10,040 Speaker 1: American people. They only ask the American white people if 489 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:14,080 Speaker 1: they're okay when a black person gets promoted or gets 490 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:16,320 Speaker 1: put in the spotlight. Right. So, yeah, of course, if 491 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 1: you ask a bunch of white people would you like 492 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:22,000 Speaker 1: to have less power today? What are they gonna say? 493 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:26,320 Speaker 1: How do you think half of them are gonna respond? 494 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:28,880 Speaker 1: Come on, that's not even that's not even a fair 495 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 1: or right right question. And we know they know it's 496 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:36,040 Speaker 1: not a fair or right question because they never ask 497 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:39,040 Speaker 1: it in the reverse. They never ask it on the 498 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:41,640 Speaker 1: other side, So we know what the game is. The 499 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:45,640 Speaker 1: question is simply, do Democrats have the ability and intestinal 500 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:49,120 Speaker 1: fortitude to stand up to this bullcrap and keep keep 501 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 1: mosying on and doing what they We're gonna do anyway, 502 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 1: so far for this particular appointment, in part because of 503 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:58,680 Speaker 1: how just brazen Lee McConnell and the Republicans have manipulated 504 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:00,960 Speaker 1: the court. I think they well, but you know, the 505 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:02,680 Speaker 1: attacks are gonna come down. You know. One of the 506 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:04,760 Speaker 1: reasons why I've been so out front and writing about 507 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:08,480 Speaker 1: this is that we know what they're gonna do. We 508 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:12,120 Speaker 1: know what they do to any black person who kind 509 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:15,120 Speaker 1: of rises above the noise. We know what they do 510 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:17,800 Speaker 1: to any black person when you when they can focus 511 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:20,839 Speaker 1: on just one black person, right, Like, it's a little 512 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:22,200 Speaker 1: bit harder when they have to deal with all of 513 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:24,080 Speaker 1: us at the same time, right, But when they can 514 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:26,799 Speaker 1: and they can isolate, it's like hunting, right, they can 515 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:29,719 Speaker 1: isolate one of us, you know, from the group, when 516 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:32,279 Speaker 1: they can put us off to the side. Then it 517 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: becomes like a real rally, you know, just a feeding frenzy. Yeah, 518 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:40,319 Speaker 1: we know whoever Um Biden picks is going to be 519 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:45,239 Speaker 1: subjected to the worst kinds of attacks. It's already started. 520 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:49,800 Speaker 1: He hasn't even named a person. And the Republicans cannot 521 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:52,920 Speaker 1: chew a meal with their mouth clothes without blurting out 522 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:55,239 Speaker 1: some kind of like, oh, also, black women don't the law. 523 00:34:55,719 --> 00:35:00,520 Speaker 1: Oh Joe Kennedy to John Kennedy today, will up this morning? 524 00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:03,439 Speaker 1: I saw it on Twitter today, was like, I won't, 525 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:06,520 Speaker 1: uh just this, that's gonna read a Noul book, not 526 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:11,800 Speaker 1: the Jay Crew catalog. What the fuck does that mean? What? What? 527 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:15,239 Speaker 1: What freaking lawyer is reading a Jay Crew catalog? Like 528 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:18,920 Speaker 1: it makes no sense? But they've already started in on it, 529 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:21,960 Speaker 1: and they and it hasn't even named a person and 530 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:24,960 Speaker 1: the attacks have already started. Can you imagine how bad 531 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:27,440 Speaker 1: it's going to be when there's an actual human being 532 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:30,400 Speaker 1: that they can that they can punch. You know what 533 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:33,040 Speaker 1: what this brings up for me too? I mean, I 534 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 1: know that it is an incredible honor right to serve 535 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:39,960 Speaker 1: on the Supreme Court, or at least it used to 536 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:43,240 Speaker 1: be before we put anybody and anybody on there, um 537 00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:49,080 Speaker 1: you know, rapists, uh included. Um. But you know, I 538 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:53,200 Speaker 1: wonder too of the women that you've listed, right, like 539 00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:55,799 Speaker 1: you know and and you listen, and I want in 540 00:35:55,840 --> 00:35:58,160 Speaker 1: a couple of minutes that we have left to actually 541 00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:01,799 Speaker 1: run through, um, some of those whose names you've lifted up. 542 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:07,399 Speaker 1: But you know, there may be people who are just like, yeah, 543 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:11,920 Speaker 1: I'm good, right, like in this political in this political climate, 544 00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 1: like you know, thanks so much for thinking of me, 545 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:19,200 Speaker 1: but like I'm okay, right. Do you do you think 546 00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:22,920 Speaker 1: like that that is a that is a potential as 547 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:25,640 Speaker 1: well that you could be called on by your president 548 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,839 Speaker 1: and be like, yeah, so I see the way you're 549 00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:33,640 Speaker 1: doing your vice president. So I'm actually good. There were 550 00:36:33,719 --> 00:36:36,800 Speaker 1: people I thought about putting on my list and didn't 551 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:40,560 Speaker 1: because I didn't want to draw attention to that because 552 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:43,440 Speaker 1: they're my friends and like I don't want to like 553 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:45,560 Speaker 1: like I hadn't you know, I hadn't run it by her, 554 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 1: I hadn't run it by this woman. I hadn't want 555 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:50,440 Speaker 1: to buy that woman, whether she even wanted that kind 556 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:53,920 Speaker 1: of attention, Um, that could happen. You know, these are 557 00:36:54,040 --> 00:36:56,440 Speaker 1: I'm talking about people who you know law academics or 558 00:36:57,040 --> 00:37:02,000 Speaker 1: people whom are are not famous, right, And the attention 559 00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:05,400 Speaker 1: that you can get from the very worst people in 560 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:08,239 Speaker 1: the country when you start getting bandied about, even on 561 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:12,880 Speaker 1: a shortlist, much less the actual nominee, it's really really 562 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:15,919 Speaker 1: intense and it's not fun. It will not be nice 563 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:20,080 Speaker 1: for these people. Look, I every I think most people 564 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:24,120 Speaker 1: ultimately would take it because it's because it's it's you know, 565 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:27,000 Speaker 1: because it's a really I mean, look at alleged attempt 566 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:30,759 Speaker 1: at rapist Kavanaugh, Look at handmade in amy covid Barrett, 567 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:34,480 Speaker 1: look at Neil Gorsage. Right, it's a bad few weeks 568 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:39,560 Speaker 1: and then a lifetime of inscrutable power from which you 569 00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:42,960 Speaker 1: can functionally not be fired. Who doesn't take that, right, 570 00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 1: I'll take you know, it's it's it's Avon Barksdale. You 571 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:47,719 Speaker 1: can only do two days in jail, right, the day 572 00:37:47,719 --> 00:37:49,400 Speaker 1: you go in and the day you come out. I 573 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:51,920 Speaker 1: don't go through the confirmation that you're anging be like, 574 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:53,400 Speaker 1: I only got to deal with this for two days. 575 00:37:53,400 --> 00:37:55,359 Speaker 1: The first day it's gonna be bad, and the last 576 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:58,960 Speaker 1: day it's gonna be bad, and then I'm there for life, right, 577 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:02,440 Speaker 1: And I think most people would would would make that 578 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:05,200 Speaker 1: same calculus. Um. And so so I feel like this, 579 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:09,319 Speaker 1: I don't think Biden's gonna have trouble you know, finding volunteers. Um, 580 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:11,960 Speaker 1: but it's gonna be for whoever. Epics is gonna be bad, 581 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:13,920 Speaker 1: and it's gonna be bad from both sides. Like we 582 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,919 Speaker 1: know the kinds of racist Republican things Republicans the side, 583 00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:21,680 Speaker 1: but let's not forget that. We also have a very 584 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:25,759 Speaker 1: you know, what's what's the nice word of saying it. 585 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:33,560 Speaker 1: We also have well meaning lights who warned us about 586 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:39,560 Speaker 1: right right, you're a wonderful moderates right um that don't 587 00:38:39,600 --> 00:38:44,160 Speaker 1: like controversy and are very subtile susceptible to the Oh, 588 00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 1: I would totally support a black woman, but not that 589 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 1: black woman, right like, we like we know that that's 590 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:53,000 Speaker 1: gonna be a thing. We also have a kind of 591 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:59,799 Speaker 1: well meaning hard left, uh white progressives who have kind 592 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:03,400 Speaker 1: of made a cottage industry of taking shots at pretty 593 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:07,240 Speaker 1: much any black person ever. I mean, like, I there 594 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:09,720 Speaker 1: are some people on the art left who I cannot 595 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:12,680 Speaker 1: name a black person they actually like, right like, just 596 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:16,239 Speaker 1: always seem to have extra smoke. Um, Um, what a 597 00:39:16,280 --> 00:39:19,600 Speaker 1: black person says, does or believes anything so like there's that, 598 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:24,719 Speaker 1: and there is also in the black community of I 599 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:27,880 Speaker 1: don't I don't think this is a huge part of 600 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:29,840 Speaker 1: the issue, but it's gonna be part of the issue. 601 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:32,760 Speaker 1: We are talking about black women now, aren't we, And 602 00:39:33,680 --> 00:39:37,000 Speaker 1: that there is a part of the black male community 603 00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:40,920 Speaker 1: that doesn't always support the sisters. Um uh so, so 604 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:43,680 Speaker 1: that that is going to be I think an undercurrent 605 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:47,200 Speaker 1: um of a small one. And the same way that 606 00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:50,719 Speaker 1: you know, all of these groups are small individually, right, 607 00:39:50,719 --> 00:39:53,839 Speaker 1: There's not a lot of white progressives who only have 608 00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:56,040 Speaker 1: smoke for black people. They're not a lot of black 609 00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:58,319 Speaker 1: men who don't support black women. They're not a lot 610 00:39:58,480 --> 00:40:01,600 Speaker 1: of white liberals for that mealy mouth and weak. But 611 00:40:01,719 --> 00:40:04,399 Speaker 1: when you put them all together, and when you get 612 00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:06,760 Speaker 1: you have a slash and a cut, and a slash 613 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:08,400 Speaker 1: and a cut, and the slash and the cut, it 614 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:11,400 Speaker 1: can kind of snowball on itself. To give a person 615 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:14,040 Speaker 1: who isn't paying attention, who's only looking at it from 616 00:40:14,040 --> 00:40:17,279 Speaker 1: a kind of thirty thousand foot view, Man, was this 617 00:40:17,440 --> 00:40:21,400 Speaker 1: the right nominee at all? Maybe we should have nominated like, 618 00:40:22,719 --> 00:40:27,279 Speaker 1: maybe we should have nominated Oprah um So run us 619 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:29,960 Speaker 1: through with a couple of minutes that we have just 620 00:40:30,120 --> 00:40:33,480 Speaker 1: run us through the black women that you lifted up 621 00:40:34,440 --> 00:40:38,200 Speaker 1: in your piece and just give us like a snapshot 622 00:40:38,239 --> 00:40:41,080 Speaker 1: into why they made it to your to your list 623 00:40:41,120 --> 00:40:44,840 Speaker 1: and many people's list, but more importantly to your list. 624 00:40:45,520 --> 00:40:48,440 Speaker 1: Cantanji Brown Jackson as the leader in the clubhouse. She 625 00:40:48,719 --> 00:40:50,560 Speaker 1: was the woman I was referring to who was a 626 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:54,160 Speaker 1: finalist for the position that eventually was went to Merrick 627 00:40:54,239 --> 00:40:57,960 Speaker 1: Garland back under Barack Obama. So she's been well vetted 628 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:01,120 Speaker 1: by at least one White House and Biden probably already 629 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:03,719 Speaker 1: knows her, at least as an impression of her. Um, 630 00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:08,480 Speaker 1: she's very well educated, long long time serving on the bench. Uh, 631 00:41:09,200 --> 00:41:13,200 Speaker 1: you know, very smart, history of writing, very good opinions. Um. 632 00:41:13,360 --> 00:41:16,200 Speaker 1: She's she's left of center, but she's not a crazy 633 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:20,319 Speaker 1: She's not like me, right, she's not crazy left. It's 634 00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:25,360 Speaker 1: a reasonable um um leftist uh person. So she's because 635 00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:27,359 Speaker 1: of all of that, she's just she's the more she's 636 00:41:27,480 --> 00:41:30,799 Speaker 1: one of the more unassailable UM picks, and I still 637 00:41:30,840 --> 00:41:33,319 Speaker 1: think that she's gonna be the one. However, You've got 638 00:41:33,320 --> 00:41:37,759 Speaker 1: a strong uh candidate and Michelle Child, who is a 639 00:41:38,040 --> 00:41:41,440 Speaker 1: district judge in South Carolina. Um, she has the support 640 00:41:41,480 --> 00:41:45,319 Speaker 1: of Jim's CLI James Climber, And uh, that's that's big, 641 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:49,160 Speaker 1: especially in the Biden administration. Congressman Cliburn saved that Biden 642 00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:52,960 Speaker 1: that campaign and Biden knows it. Um. Also, Uh, just 643 00:41:53,239 --> 00:41:56,560 Speaker 1: Judge Child, Um, she got her BA from University of 644 00:41:56,600 --> 00:41:59,360 Speaker 1: South Florida. She got her um law degree from the 645 00:41:59,400 --> 00:42:03,120 Speaker 1: University of Carolina. We just don't have that kind of 646 00:42:03,280 --> 00:42:07,360 Speaker 1: educational experience on the bench, you know, on the Supreme 647 00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:10,840 Speaker 1: Court until Amy Coney Barrett. All of the lawyers currently 648 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:14,160 Speaker 1: on the Supreme Court were from Harvard and or Yah. Yeah, 649 00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:17,160 Speaker 1: any Coney barretts from No Dame. So another kind of 650 00:42:17,239 --> 00:42:19,560 Speaker 1: ritzy private school. So having a lawyer that went to 651 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:21,560 Speaker 1: like a state university to get in a law degree 652 00:42:21,600 --> 00:42:24,759 Speaker 1: like that alone, that's that's more. That's diversity in more 653 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:28,560 Speaker 1: ways than one. So that and remember Scranton Joe got 654 00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:31,120 Speaker 1: his law degree from from Syracuse. You know he ain't 655 00:42:31,120 --> 00:42:34,080 Speaker 1: no fancy Ivy League lawyer himself, right, So like that 656 00:42:34,120 --> 00:42:38,520 Speaker 1: could really be a thing Um that Biden latches onto. Um. 657 00:42:39,120 --> 00:42:42,279 Speaker 1: I've looked Charyl and Eiffel is in the running. She's 658 00:42:42,360 --> 00:42:45,080 Speaker 1: the current she's the head of the nuble ACP Legal 659 00:42:45,120 --> 00:42:49,759 Speaker 1: Defense fun You just can't find a better fighter for 660 00:42:49,840 --> 00:42:54,440 Speaker 1: civil rights in our generation than CHERYLN. Eiffel. Um, she's amazing. 661 00:42:54,480 --> 00:42:56,879 Speaker 1: She's an amazing lawyer. If you don't think that being 662 00:42:56,880 --> 00:43:00,960 Speaker 1: in the head of the NABACP League Defense Fund is 663 00:43:01,000 --> 00:43:03,640 Speaker 1: a good qualification for the Supreme Court, I will remind 664 00:43:03,719 --> 00:43:06,920 Speaker 1: you that that was thur good Marshall's old job before 665 00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:09,400 Speaker 1: he was nominated to the Supreme Court. So there's some 666 00:43:09,480 --> 00:43:11,960 Speaker 1: symmetry there, having the first black man come from the 667 00:43:12,120 --> 00:43:16,960 Speaker 1: LDF and the first black woman. Yeah, that would be Dye. 668 00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:21,600 Speaker 1: And there's some other candidates. Leandre Kruger California, a state's 669 00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:24,960 Speaker 1: Supreme Court judge. She's only Leandre Cruger's only forty five. 670 00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:29,120 Speaker 1: That's a big plus in her category. All of the 671 00:43:29,200 --> 00:43:33,720 Speaker 1: women I listed, by the way, are under sixty under fifty, 672 00:43:34,120 --> 00:43:37,239 Speaker 1: which is how Republicans have been rolling with it, right. Um, 673 00:43:37,280 --> 00:43:41,239 Speaker 1: So she's she's an amazing writer, an amazing advocate. She 674 00:43:41,360 --> 00:43:45,120 Speaker 1: was a Deputy Solicitor General during the administration and really 675 00:43:46,160 --> 00:43:50,000 Speaker 1: developed a reputation for eloquence in her arguments. Um, and 676 00:43:50,160 --> 00:43:53,640 Speaker 1: also is very quite progressive. So you know there again, 677 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:56,680 Speaker 1: you're not going to get better resumes than these people. 678 00:43:56,840 --> 00:44:01,160 Speaker 1: K KBJ. Brown Jackson. We're talking Harvard, Harvard Law School, 679 00:44:01,560 --> 00:44:04,280 Speaker 1: eight years on the bench, head of the US Sentence 680 00:44:04,320 --> 00:44:09,280 Speaker 1: in Commission Cormal Federal prosecutor. You know, Krueger, Harvard, Yale 681 00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:12,359 Speaker 1: Law Editor of the Yale Law Review, Sharrow Leife. We've 682 00:44:12,400 --> 00:44:16,680 Speaker 1: already talked about childs um Uh, you know, longstanding justice 683 00:44:17,000 --> 00:44:19,960 Speaker 1: judge in the Distreccord of South Carolina. You don't get 684 00:44:20,040 --> 00:44:22,680 Speaker 1: better resumes than people these people. You get as good 685 00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:26,160 Speaker 1: resumes as these people. So let me ask you final question, Ellie. 686 00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:31,000 Speaker 1: Um let's bar reality for a minute and go into 687 00:44:32,120 --> 00:44:35,120 Speaker 1: an America that is one that we would want to 688 00:44:35,239 --> 00:44:39,520 Speaker 1: actually live in, right and we didn't have to worry 689 00:44:39,560 --> 00:44:42,920 Speaker 1: about the politics and all of the mine fields. If 690 00:44:43,000 --> 00:44:46,800 Speaker 1: you had your wand your gavel and we're making this decision, 691 00:44:48,200 --> 00:44:51,160 Speaker 1: who would you choose? I know you listed five, but 692 00:44:51,280 --> 00:44:55,520 Speaker 1: who would be your pick? Pick? Oh? You like? Tiffany 693 00:44:55,640 --> 00:44:57,600 Speaker 1: Cross asked me the same question on the television and 694 00:44:57,680 --> 00:45:00,399 Speaker 1: I said, look, I'm planning of you. Look, I'm rooting 695 00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:07,200 Speaker 1: for everybody black. I got no favorites. Whoever it is, 696 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:10,759 Speaker 1: I will support I love all them. I love black 697 00:45:10,800 --> 00:45:14,440 Speaker 1: people like that. Just I'm I'm, I'm for everybody. Um, 698 00:45:14,880 --> 00:45:20,480 Speaker 1: look there, Cantanji Brown Jackson is the favorite for a reason. 699 00:45:20,800 --> 00:45:22,399 Speaker 1: And I know this is going to sound a little 700 00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:24,600 Speaker 1: bit self serving because I also went to the big Harvard. 701 00:45:24,640 --> 00:45:27,160 Speaker 1: I have a similar kind of resume as she did, 702 00:45:27,239 --> 00:45:29,360 Speaker 1: and the only she went out to work and I 703 00:45:29,640 --> 00:45:32,000 Speaker 1: just as I went to my basement to write like this. 704 00:45:35,280 --> 00:45:39,120 Speaker 1: So it's been self serving. But I in this context, 705 00:45:39,360 --> 00:45:42,000 Speaker 1: the reason why people end up on the Supreme Court 706 00:45:42,120 --> 00:45:44,520 Speaker 1: from like two or three law schools is because the 707 00:45:44,719 --> 00:45:48,120 Speaker 1: opposition it's always about, oh, they're not especially when you're 708 00:45:48,160 --> 00:45:50,440 Speaker 1: talking about women or women of color, it's always old, 709 00:45:50,440 --> 00:45:52,160 Speaker 1: they're not smart enough, they don't deserve to be there, 710 00:45:52,200 --> 00:45:54,680 Speaker 1: but black. And so when you have these like educational 711 00:45:55,160 --> 00:45:57,600 Speaker 1: it's almost like a shield, like what are you gonna say? 712 00:45:58,239 --> 00:46:00,440 Speaker 1: And so that's one of the reasons why she favorite. 713 00:46:00,480 --> 00:46:02,120 Speaker 1: The other reason why she's a favorite is that she 714 00:46:02,320 --> 00:46:06,040 Speaker 1: is the one that I know has been vetted the 715 00:46:06,160 --> 00:46:10,040 Speaker 1: most because she almost got this job under Obama. So like, 716 00:46:10,200 --> 00:46:11,880 Speaker 1: you know, one of the things that I didn't get 717 00:46:11,920 --> 00:46:17,160 Speaker 1: to say, that's important. Every whoever Biden picks will also 718 00:46:17,400 --> 00:46:22,200 Speaker 1: have the moral qualifications to be on the Supreme Court. 719 00:46:22,480 --> 00:46:25,480 Speaker 1: And you can't say that about Republicans ee. But to 720 00:46:25,719 --> 00:46:29,360 Speaker 1: make sure that you have the moral qualifications, people got 721 00:46:29,440 --> 00:46:31,840 Speaker 1: to be able to go into your history and you know, 722 00:46:31,960 --> 00:46:35,440 Speaker 1: if they find you. Understand, if they find a parking ticket, 723 00:46:35,640 --> 00:46:39,000 Speaker 1: Marsha Blackburn will use that against them at the hearings, right, 724 00:46:39,360 --> 00:46:41,160 Speaker 1: So like you have to be so squeaking you have 725 00:46:41,280 --> 00:46:44,719 Speaker 1: lived your life in such a way that's very limited me. 726 00:46:44,800 --> 00:46:47,440 Speaker 1: And for the most part, I'm sure I feel confident 727 00:46:47,640 --> 00:46:49,600 Speaker 1: that Brown Jackson has just because she's been through this 728 00:46:49,719 --> 00:46:52,359 Speaker 1: before Cheryl and Eifel quite frankly has two She's been 729 00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:54,400 Speaker 1: in the public life for so long. I also have 730 00:46:54,680 --> 00:46:57,280 Speaker 1: a really good sense that she has been deeply vetted 731 00:46:57,320 --> 00:47:00,440 Speaker 1: for this position. So you know, these are my favorites. 732 00:47:00,480 --> 00:47:04,600 Speaker 1: Then become like who's easiest to confirm? I mean, people 733 00:47:04,680 --> 00:47:06,680 Speaker 1: keep saying like, oh, our mansion and Cinema are gonna 734 00:47:06,680 --> 00:47:09,720 Speaker 1: stay on board. Yeah, Look, for the most part, Mansion 735 00:47:09,800 --> 00:47:13,440 Speaker 1: and Cinema have been on board with the judicial appointments. 736 00:47:13,480 --> 00:47:17,000 Speaker 1: It's all the policies that there they've been against. And frankly, 737 00:47:17,680 --> 00:47:22,239 Speaker 1: Brown Jackson was recently appointed to the DC Circuit Court 738 00:47:22,280 --> 00:47:25,400 Speaker 1: of Appeals to replace Merritt Garland when Garland went to 739 00:47:25,480 --> 00:47:31,960 Speaker 1: be Attorney General, and she got fifty three votes right, Collins, Kowski, 740 00:47:32,080 --> 00:47:35,720 Speaker 1: and Lindsay Graham all voted for her for the DC Circuit. 741 00:47:35,760 --> 00:47:37,719 Speaker 1: So if Biden can put forward a person who can 742 00:47:37,760 --> 00:47:42,439 Speaker 1: get even one Republican vote, that that could be a big, 743 00:47:42,760 --> 00:47:46,360 Speaker 1: a big help going forward. Child's One of the reasons 744 00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:49,200 Speaker 1: why Childs is interesting is that she's from South Carolina 745 00:47:49,280 --> 00:47:54,640 Speaker 1: and Tim Scott, Tim tool Scott is sitting right there. 746 00:47:55,080 --> 00:47:58,759 Speaker 1: And while I have no I have completely believed that 747 00:47:58,800 --> 00:48:01,120 Speaker 1: Tim Scott hasn't in him to vote against the first 748 00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:05,960 Speaker 1: black woman justice, because yes, that that's what that dude 749 00:48:06,200 --> 00:48:08,279 Speaker 1: is all about. But when but is you gonna have 750 00:48:08,360 --> 00:48:10,239 Speaker 1: to Is he gonna vote against the first black woman 751 00:48:10,560 --> 00:48:14,680 Speaker 1: justice from his dam Yeah, that would be something would 752 00:48:14,719 --> 00:48:16,839 Speaker 1: in it? Right? So you know, these are these are 753 00:48:16,880 --> 00:48:19,000 Speaker 1: why the people who are the favorites are the favorites. 754 00:48:19,080 --> 00:48:22,279 Speaker 1: It's not just their resumes, is that they bring other 755 00:48:22,480 --> 00:48:25,680 Speaker 1: things to the table politically that could make them easier 756 00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:29,120 Speaker 1: to confirm. So I so, so my favorite is the 757 00:48:29,160 --> 00:48:32,400 Speaker 1: person who's easiest to confirm at this point, because I 758 00:48:32,440 --> 00:48:35,080 Speaker 1: don't want Republican Shenanigans and I don't want Democrats to 759 00:48:35,160 --> 00:48:37,360 Speaker 1: lose heart. I mean, there was this we gotta scare, 760 00:48:37,560 --> 00:48:39,840 Speaker 1: we gotta scare this week and we found out that 761 00:48:40,000 --> 00:48:43,800 Speaker 1: Senator LeJean Um was treated last weekend for a stroke, 762 00:48:45,080 --> 00:48:48,960 Speaker 1: and we you gotta remember, the majority is so tenuous. 763 00:48:49,080 --> 00:48:52,160 Speaker 1: Any of these people get hit by a bus and 764 00:48:52,680 --> 00:48:55,560 Speaker 1: you lose the majority. And Mitch McConnell will not let 765 00:48:55,680 --> 00:48:59,959 Speaker 1: a replacement, you know, be voted on if he's in charge, 766 00:49:00,320 --> 00:49:03,200 Speaker 1: just won't let it happen. So we have to move quickly. 767 00:49:03,719 --> 00:49:06,600 Speaker 1: We have to move with with with with more than 768 00:49:06,640 --> 00:49:09,920 Speaker 1: deliberate speed, and we have to get this confirmation through 769 00:49:10,360 --> 00:49:12,960 Speaker 1: kind of with as little drama as possible. And I'm 770 00:49:13,040 --> 00:49:18,520 Speaker 1: for that. Um, what is the time frame, Ellie? They 771 00:49:18,600 --> 00:49:22,760 Speaker 1: confirmed Barrett in twenty seven days? Hey, let's they confirm 772 00:49:22,840 --> 00:49:27,560 Speaker 1: Amy Coney Barrett in twenty seven goddamn days. I think 773 00:49:27,600 --> 00:49:30,600 Speaker 1: it's gonna be longer than that. But look, we're in 774 00:49:30,719 --> 00:49:33,759 Speaker 1: Black History month. As you said, Biden will announce, and 775 00:49:33,800 --> 00:49:36,080 Speaker 1: I'm like, twenty seven days sounds good to me. If 776 00:49:36,120 --> 00:49:38,239 Speaker 1: it's good, if it's good for the white COVID lady, 777 00:49:38,440 --> 00:49:40,719 Speaker 1: then it's then it's fine. Then it's fine for me. 778 00:49:41,520 --> 00:49:44,480 Speaker 1: Biden will announce this during Black History Month. You can 779 00:49:44,640 --> 00:49:47,320 Speaker 1: bank on that, and remember he's got to save the 780 00:49:47,560 --> 00:49:50,719 Speaker 1: union on March first. I wouldn't be surprised if that 781 00:49:50,880 --> 00:49:56,200 Speaker 1: saved the union is timed with re announcing the pick 782 00:49:56,520 --> 00:49:59,080 Speaker 1: and then being like, go vote for her now and 783 00:49:59,239 --> 00:50:01,439 Speaker 1: those hearings have in March. That would be my guess 784 00:50:01,480 --> 00:50:06,359 Speaker 1: at this point. Okay, well, Ellie, once be confirmed from 785 00:50:06,400 --> 00:50:10,200 Speaker 1: when Bryer leaves the batch Injie, well, please make sure 786 00:50:10,320 --> 00:50:14,440 Speaker 1: to come back to woke F when the announcement is 787 00:50:14,600 --> 00:50:17,960 Speaker 1: made so that we can dig deeper into that choice 788 00:50:18,320 --> 00:50:22,560 Speaker 1: and then understand the everest of assaults that they're going 789 00:50:22,640 --> 00:50:26,600 Speaker 1: to be up against, sadly from both the right and 790 00:50:27,840 --> 00:50:32,000 Speaker 1: the left. As always, Elie Mistole, we appreciate your presence 791 00:50:32,040 --> 00:50:34,600 Speaker 1: and your passion on woke F. Thank you so much 792 00:50:34,680 --> 00:50:37,399 Speaker 1: for making the time for us. Thank you so much 793 00:50:37,440 --> 00:50:43,000 Speaker 1: for having me. I don't know, folks, but I will 794 00:50:43,080 --> 00:50:45,920 Speaker 1: tell you this. It is why I am making it, 795 00:50:46,719 --> 00:50:51,120 Speaker 1: making a conscious effort, and what I have realized as 796 00:50:51,160 --> 00:50:54,440 Speaker 1: I transition right now into what I am going to 797 00:50:54,520 --> 00:50:58,800 Speaker 1: refer to as our woke moment of wellness until I 798 00:50:58,840 --> 00:51:00,800 Speaker 1: can come up with a catchy name, and maybe you 799 00:51:00,920 --> 00:51:04,680 Speaker 1: all have a catchier name that I can use, And 800 00:51:04,840 --> 00:51:09,759 Speaker 1: so please do share any branding marketing ideas. But as 801 00:51:09,800 --> 00:51:14,240 Speaker 1: I transition right now into our woke moment of wellness, 802 00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:18,560 Speaker 1: I want to share with you this story. I want 803 00:51:18,600 --> 00:51:21,319 Speaker 1: to close out with this because it brought me joy 804 00:51:21,440 --> 00:51:25,680 Speaker 1: today and I realize that happiness enjoy is something that 805 00:51:25,800 --> 00:51:29,160 Speaker 1: you have to be vigilant about, that you have to 806 00:51:29,400 --> 00:51:34,960 Speaker 1: be intentional with that it doesn't just happen right, that 807 00:51:35,200 --> 00:51:38,680 Speaker 1: there needs to be intent and tools and tactics that 808 00:51:38,800 --> 00:51:41,640 Speaker 1: you are using to stay above the freight to be 809 00:51:41,719 --> 00:51:46,040 Speaker 1: able to continue to vibrate higher. So for the past 810 00:51:46,120 --> 00:51:50,600 Speaker 1: two months, rights as folks have seen and no, I 811 00:51:50,800 --> 00:51:54,480 Speaker 1: have been recording from home, and I've been staying home 812 00:51:55,560 --> 00:51:58,680 Speaker 1: as Amicron was raging out of control in New York. 813 00:51:58,800 --> 00:52:01,080 Speaker 1: I said, I had the priviledge to be able to 814 00:52:01,160 --> 00:52:03,279 Speaker 1: work from the comfort of my home. So I'm going 815 00:52:03,360 --> 00:52:06,919 Speaker 1: to do that. And over the course of the last 816 00:52:06,960 --> 00:52:10,759 Speaker 1: two months, you know, we have seen spikes and now 817 00:52:10,880 --> 00:52:17,320 Speaker 1: we are seeing this receding of this, this iteration of COVID, 818 00:52:18,360 --> 00:52:21,719 Speaker 1: and so you know, I have been feeling very restless. 819 00:52:21,800 --> 00:52:25,640 Speaker 1: I've been feeling very depressed. I have been feeling like 820 00:52:25,800 --> 00:52:30,480 Speaker 1: I have just been languishing. And my sister, who you 821 00:52:30,600 --> 00:52:34,320 Speaker 1: all know, you know, it's just like, well, what's you know, 822 00:52:34,520 --> 00:52:36,560 Speaker 1: aside from what we all know, what is going on? 823 00:52:37,960 --> 00:52:39,760 Speaker 1: And I told her, I said, I hadn't been walking, 824 00:52:39,880 --> 00:52:41,719 Speaker 1: I hadn't really been leaving the house, and it had 825 00:52:41,760 --> 00:52:45,320 Speaker 1: occurred to me that I have been. I had regressed. 826 00:52:45,480 --> 00:52:49,200 Speaker 1: I had gone back to crouching over my computer, to 827 00:52:49,760 --> 00:52:53,240 Speaker 1: having the news on in the background twenty four to seven, 828 00:52:53,760 --> 00:52:57,400 Speaker 1: and it felt like the walls were closing in. And 829 00:52:57,520 --> 00:52:59,399 Speaker 1: I said, and on top of that, it's fucking winter 830 00:52:59,480 --> 00:53:01,759 Speaker 1: and it's free outside, and I don't necessarily want to 831 00:53:01,800 --> 00:53:05,840 Speaker 1: go out, even to do my walks, which bring me 832 00:53:06,000 --> 00:53:12,480 Speaker 1: so much joy and energy. And she said to me, Danielle, 833 00:53:13,960 --> 00:53:17,400 Speaker 1: there is no bad weather. There is just bad clothing, 834 00:53:18,520 --> 00:53:23,839 Speaker 1: and so layer up and get the fuck outside. If 835 00:53:24,080 --> 00:53:30,440 Speaker 1: you don't, you're going to go crazy and lo and behold, 836 00:53:30,880 --> 00:53:34,000 Speaker 1: my sister, My big sister was one hundred percent right. 837 00:53:35,160 --> 00:53:40,000 Speaker 1: I did. I grabbed my fuzzy socks and boots and 838 00:53:40,680 --> 00:53:43,640 Speaker 1: layered up my pants and put on multiple shirts and 839 00:53:43,760 --> 00:53:46,480 Speaker 1: my heavy winter coat, and it was twenty four degrees 840 00:53:46,600 --> 00:53:49,399 Speaker 1: outside last week, and I decided to go on at 841 00:53:49,520 --> 00:53:53,960 Speaker 1: least a twenty minute walk. I stayed outside for forty 842 00:53:54,000 --> 00:53:59,560 Speaker 1: five minutes. The air felt so crisp on my face, 843 00:53:59,680 --> 00:54:04,800 Speaker 1: in my lungs. I came home and my apartment felt different. 844 00:54:05,360 --> 00:54:10,040 Speaker 1: I felt different. I felt like I had released, you know, 845 00:54:10,320 --> 00:54:13,400 Speaker 1: some pent up energy that just the movement and the 846 00:54:13,520 --> 00:54:17,279 Speaker 1: connection to the outdoors and listening to my music and 847 00:54:17,480 --> 00:54:21,560 Speaker 1: just being able to move. I had put myself back 848 00:54:21,680 --> 00:54:29,280 Speaker 1: in this quarantined prison right even going outside for a walk. 849 00:54:29,560 --> 00:54:33,880 Speaker 1: I had scared myself out of doing and made excuses 850 00:54:33,960 --> 00:54:36,399 Speaker 1: that it's winter and oh, I'll just wait for the spring. Well, 851 00:54:36,560 --> 00:54:40,440 Speaker 1: guess what, folks, We're not bears. We can't just hibernate. 852 00:54:40,800 --> 00:54:46,000 Speaker 1: We need to find ways to live and do so safely, right, 853 00:54:47,120 --> 00:54:51,040 Speaker 1: but to remember to live, And I had forgotten over 854 00:54:51,160 --> 00:54:54,279 Speaker 1: the last two months. I couldn't understand why I was 855 00:54:54,480 --> 00:55:01,720 Speaker 1: feeling so anxious, so fearful, so frustrated, so heavy. Nothing 856 00:55:02,000 --> 00:55:06,120 Speaker 1: changed in the world right while I started walking again, 857 00:55:06,520 --> 00:55:10,839 Speaker 1: But I changed, and I was able to open up 858 00:55:11,239 --> 00:55:14,200 Speaker 1: so that I could hold a little more but also 859 00:55:14,520 --> 00:55:25,040 Speaker 1: release a lot. So yesterday on my walk I had 860 00:55:25,120 --> 00:55:27,560 Speaker 1: over the past couple of years, there was this gentleman, 861 00:55:28,000 --> 00:55:32,200 Speaker 1: black man, lovely smile that sits on a bench and 862 00:55:33,040 --> 00:55:37,600 Speaker 1: he literally knows every single person. Everyone knows him. The 863 00:55:37,760 --> 00:55:40,720 Speaker 1: workers in the park know him, the runners, the walkers, 864 00:55:40,800 --> 00:55:44,040 Speaker 1: the dog walkers, the people with the nanny's, the people 865 00:55:44,080 --> 00:55:48,080 Speaker 1: with their kids. Everybody knows him. Waves, stop, sits down. 866 00:55:48,640 --> 00:55:52,919 Speaker 1: He just offers a bit of lightness in your day. 867 00:55:53,480 --> 00:55:56,920 Speaker 1: And because for two months it had been really cold 868 00:55:56,960 --> 00:55:59,839 Speaker 1: and the weather had been quite shit, I hadn't seen him, 869 00:56:01,360 --> 00:56:05,200 Speaker 1: and I saw him this week and we don't really 870 00:56:05,280 --> 00:56:08,040 Speaker 1: know each other. We just have exchanged names and we 871 00:56:08,200 --> 00:56:14,200 Speaker 1: exchange pleasantries. But there's something so wonderful about remembering to 872 00:56:14,360 --> 00:56:19,480 Speaker 1: be human, to just smile for no reason, to offer 873 00:56:19,600 --> 00:56:23,080 Speaker 1: people a kind word or a wave. And that's what 874 00:56:23,200 --> 00:56:28,560 Speaker 1: he does. And so he told me yesterday as he 875 00:56:28,719 --> 00:56:31,080 Speaker 1: was asking, you know, Danielle, how are you doing? How 876 00:56:31,120 --> 00:56:35,040 Speaker 1: are you doing? Really, I said, you know, I explained 877 00:56:35,120 --> 00:56:36,840 Speaker 1: all the things that I just said to all of you, 878 00:56:37,800 --> 00:56:46,080 Speaker 1: and he said to me, life is too short, so 879 00:56:46,360 --> 00:56:52,520 Speaker 1: live tall always. That is what my park friend, Edwin 880 00:56:52,640 --> 00:56:56,759 Speaker 1: said to me. And I stood there looking at him 881 00:56:56,800 --> 00:57:00,720 Speaker 1: as he said it, and he said it again. Life 882 00:57:00,840 --> 00:57:09,080 Speaker 1: is too short, So live tall always. That's what I 883 00:57:09,120 --> 00:57:12,520 Speaker 1: will leave you all with today. I think that when 884 00:57:12,560 --> 00:57:15,960 Speaker 1: we get caught up in the fear and the anxiousness 885 00:57:16,080 --> 00:57:19,120 Speaker 1: and the anger, in the rage, in the frustration, in 886 00:57:19,200 --> 00:57:24,120 Speaker 1: the languishing, we forget that life really is short and 887 00:57:24,280 --> 00:57:27,880 Speaker 1: that it is for the living. We were all born 888 00:57:28,000 --> 00:57:32,040 Speaker 1: with an expiration date that we don't know the date of, 889 00:57:33,760 --> 00:57:35,680 Speaker 1: and there is a lot that is going on, and 890 00:57:35,800 --> 00:57:38,600 Speaker 1: I'm not saying to pretend that it doesn't exist, but 891 00:57:38,760 --> 00:57:40,720 Speaker 1: I am saying that we need to figure out a 892 00:57:40,800 --> 00:57:44,840 Speaker 1: way to get back to living and reminding ourselves of 893 00:57:44,920 --> 00:57:52,280 Speaker 1: that every single day and being intentional about how we live. That, friends, 894 00:57:52,880 --> 00:58:01,080 Speaker 1: is your woke moment of wellness. That is it for 895 00:58:01,200 --> 00:58:04,560 Speaker 1: me today, as always, Power to the people and to 896 00:58:04,800 --> 00:58:09,280 Speaker 1: all the people. Power, get woke and stay woke as fuck.