Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

Dear Left, You’re Missing The Mark

We talk about how the Left is missing the mark at this moment with its troubling silence on Trump’s white nationalism, which is the key to and cornerstone of his continued power. By failing to make this their top priority issue—and keep it front and center—the Left, including all current Democratic primary candidates, risks throwing away their best chance at winning this November. We also hear what our special guest, Maurice Mitchell, formerly a key leader in the Black Lives Matter movement and now National Director of the Working Families Party, has to say on this topic, the party’s support of Elizabeth Warren, and much more. [11:21]
Maurice Mitchell - https://twitter.com/mauricewfp
Working Families Party - https://twitter.com/workingfamilies

After the White States, What’s Next?

Iowa Caucus 2020 will be one for the books. We talk about what happened and what it means as the nomination race heads to another nearly-all-white state—New Hampshire—and then, finally, on to the diverse states of Nevada and South Carolina, where voters of color will help decide who becomes the eventual winner. Steve breaks down the interplay of Momentum and Math (accumulating delegates) in determining the Democratic nominee. Also get great insight on what’s ahead from Emmy Ruiz, one of the nation’s foremost political strategists who worked on Hillary Clinton’s campaign in Nevada in 2016 and was most recently a senior advisor to Kamala Harris’ campaign. [12:54]

How to Flip the Senate in 2020

With the impeachment trial underway in the U.S. Senate and the Republicans doing everything in their power to cover up Trump’s corruption, we unveil an innovative new formula for ranking winnability of 2020 Senate elections and look at what it will take for Democrats to flip control of what’s supposed to be “the world's greatest deliberative body.,” [09:16], Plus, we sit down with one of the year’s most inspiring Senate candidates in the country, Texas’s Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez as she explains why Trump’s team is “deeply afraid of people like me.” [21:23].
References:
The Nation Magazine: 12 States Where Democrats Could Flip the Senate

The White Man’s Bump

Are white male presidential candidates receiving preferential treatment from the Democratic Party? As the Democratic presidential primary field grows whiter and more male, we discuss how the Party and its rigid reliance on polling and fundraising numbers in its debate qualification rules give white men an advantage. We also explain what the Party should be doing to change this fact.
Also in this episode: Reflections on Julian Castro and the ending of his campaign; spotlight on Hidden Figure Maya Rupert, Castro's campaign manager, and what we did over the holidays.

Top 10 Stories of Hope from 2019

Since so much of the news is alarming and frequently depressing, we wanted to close out the year with a more inspiring and hopeful episode by sharing the Top 10 Stories to Give Us Hope Heading into 2020. In this episode, we count down the top victories, trends, and developments that should allow us to enter the new year with the energy and optimism we’re all going to need!

Buttigieg’s Black Problem

We delve into Pete Buttigieg’s Black problem and the underlying causes. What are the real reasons why he is polling at 0% with Black voters? And why does it matter to all Democratic voters?
Ricky Klee, a college instructor from South Bend, Indiana who has carefully followed and written about Buttigieg’s administration for several years, shares his insights. We also preview a new report from Democracy in Color looking at Mayor Pete’s record on racial issues in South Bend.
Also, some reflections on Kamala Harris suspending her campaign and what it says about the Democratic Party and African American political trends.

The Thanksgiving Episode

It’s a very special Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips Thanksgiving episode!
Where else can you get caught up on the latest in presidential politics (Bloomberg, Buttigieg, Biden and more!) and also hear Thanksgiving stories from listeners who span the cultural spectrum of the rainbow? And speaking of the Rainbow, we share a special story of Steve’s recent encounter with Jesse Jackson at Washington’s National Airport.
All of that, plus a Hidden Figures segment on an inspiring Native American leader who has helped elect Congresspeople, advise major donors, and parlay her experience working at Nordstrom into a “styling” business for women leaders.

My Deepest Hope Is This Is An Inflection Point: A Conversation With Neera Tanden

Neera Tanden, who has been called one of our nation’s most powerful women in politics by Fortune magazine, is the president of Center for American Progress, the nation’s largest progressive think tank.
She sheds light on the impeachment hearings and what Democrats and progressives need to keep in mind at this moment.
We also find out how Neera, an immigrant whose family was on food stamps when she was a child, arrived to where she is today. We also learn about her favorite childhood dish!

How to Defeat a Racist: An Interview with Tim Wise

Tim Wise, one of the most prominent anti-racism writers and educators in the country, offers insight to what we can learn from his experience working on a campaign to defeat an actual former member of the KKK, David Duke, in the 1990s (during Duke’s run for U.S. Senate and the governor’s seat in Louisiana), and what that experience can teach us today as we work to oust Trump.
Wise also weighs in on this current impeachment moment and the dynamics of patriotism versus white supremacy.
Earlier this year he wrote a Twitter thread about how Democrats fail to understand how to confront an opinion who openly fans the flames of racism. That thread was retweeted 21k times.
Wise is the host of the podcast Speak Out with Tim Wise. He is the author of more than seven books, including White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son.

Impeachment: What’s Race Got to Do With It?

Trump’s power has always been grounded in fanning the flames of white racial resentment, and it’s no accident that the most racially diverse Congress in history is now holding him accountable.