Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips

We’re All In This Together

Coronavirus has upended life across the country and the world. We talk about how it’s been affecting us, how we’re coping, and what the future looks like. We’re joined by special guest Stephanie Douglass, human resources director for a global company with offices in Beijing, on how China flattened the curve and lessons we can learn from China and other Asian countries. [4:10] Also, what’s happening in politics and public policy in light of COVID-19.
References:
Democracy in Color & She the People - Open Letter to Democratic Presidential Candidates: A Call for Committing to Choosing a Woman of Color as Candidate for Vice President http://democracyincolor.com/wocvp
The Nation // Steve Phillips - The Vice Presidential Nominee Should be a Woman of Color https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/biden-sanders-vp-of-color/
The Washington Post // Vanessa Williams - Groups call on Biden, Sanders to choose a woman of color for vice president https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/17/groups-call-biden-sanders-choose-woman-color-vice-president/
The Washington Post // Harry Stevens - Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve” https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

And the Winner Is...

Post-Super Tuesday: What happened, why, and what’s next? After a dizzying week in national politics, we try to make sense of it all by discussing why Biden bounced back, what it means for Bernie, and what the data says about how it’ll all end up.
References:
Democracy in Color - How to Help https://www.democracyincolor.com/howtohelp
Rolling Stones // Tessa Stuart - Stacey Abrams Is Building a New Kind of Political Machine in the Deep South https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/stacey-abrams-census-voting-rights-vice-president-953173/
New York Times // Steve Phillips - Bernie Sanders Can Beat Trump. Here’s the Math. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/28/opinion/bernie-sanders-polls.html
C-SPAN - Joe Biden Remarks in Los Angeles https://www.c-span.org/video/?469947-1/joe-biden-addresses-supporters-los-angeles

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!