Perez defends decision to give Kasich, other Republicans a DNC role

[brooklynite]

Source: NBC News

MILWAUKEE — Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez offered a full-throated defense of his decision to give Republicans like former Ohio Gov. John Kasich a prominent role at the 2020 convention, brushing back criticism from progressives who say the former GOP presidential candidate doesn’t represent their party.

“I disagree with John Kasich on issues of real importance, whether it’s women’s reproductive health or the right to form a union. But Ted Kennedy taught me that progress was the search for Venn diagrams,” Perez told NBC News here late Monday after opening night. “The moment that you give up the search for common ground is the moment that governance gets really, really hard.”

“And John Kasich — we have, in that Venn diagram, agreement on a really, really important point which is: The rule of law matters. The guardrails of democracy must be retained,” he said. “The obliteration of those guardrails is where our democracy suffers and becomes extinct.”

Perez's remarks came after Kasich had a remote dustup with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., earlier in the day. After he poked at her “outsized publicity” and questioned whether she “represents the Democratic Party,” the congresswoman tweeted that "a Republican who fights against women’s rights doesn’t get to say who is or isn’t representative of the Dem party."

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/perez-defends-decision-give-kasich-other-republicans-dnc-role-n1237063

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Well said. They can't force policy on us, but they can bring in much needed disaffected voters.

[SheltieLover]

2. Excellent!

Ty for sharing!

In a perfect world, there would be no EC & Senate seats would be by population, but this is reality!

[True Blue American]

3. Just like in anything

You look for the things you agree on. Kasich is still liked in Ohio. How many do you think tuned in to hear him?

[Marthe48]

17. I'm in Ohio

and I don't like him, never have, never will.

He can try to be the face of unity, but I have a long memory :/

[dware]

18. It doesn't matter if one likes him or not,

the important thing is that he, as a republican, is speaking out forcefully against the Mango Menace and if that brings just one more vote to our equation, then I'm ok with that.


We can tell him to fuck off after the election, but right here, right now, we need every vote we can get, rather it be a Dem, Rep. or Ind. vote to evict the Mango Menace and his criminal org. from the WH.

[Thekaspervote]

21. ☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️

[Marthe48]

25. The poster I replied to

said j.k. is still liked in Ohio. I didn't want to be lumped in.

I know the Dems are welcoming anyone who is against the impeached traitor. As far as kasich is concerned, just remember the fable about the old woman and the snake.

[dware]

26. I have no illusions about Kasich,

but, as I said, if he brings just one R vote for Joe Biden, then I have no problem with him speaking at the Convention.

[True Blue American]

33. Kasich is liked by Republicans.

I would never vote for him but if he can pull Ohio across the electoral line I will hold MTP nose and say Amen.

[True Blue American]

29. I am with you

But I remember Ohio putting Obama over the top and our own Sherrod Brown flying from his Mother’s funeral to cast the deciding vote on the ACA. Sherrod ousted DeWine from the Senate but backed him strongly on the shut down. At times we have to compromise, but I would never vote for Kasich.

If he can pull Republicans to Biden so be it!

[dubyadiprecession]

4. It was important to have Kasich talk about the character of someone from his own party.

To contrast that, with the good character and leadership skills of Joe Biden.
We needed that angle of perspective.

[True Blue American]

30. Agree!

[empedocles]

5. Also, in that exchange, JK seem to be on more solid, constructive, ground.

[TruckFump]

6. IMO, excellent that JK appeared.

We need UNITY, not division!

If JK brings in just a few dissatisfied Repubes, that's a start.

[luvtheGWN]

11. Yes, indeed.

Politics is the art of compromise. Senators and Reps in days gone by knew that was the only way to govern successfully.

[beachbumbob]

7. I am a big tent democratic voter and fight all attempts of litmus tests for who should be in our

party, who should be our candidates. THIS Is what makes democrats strong, not weak. I am glad we have some republicans speaking out and support Biden/Harris. AOC doesn't represent THE Democratic party, the democratic party represents AOC and her views as much as a views of conservative democrats which Kasich certainly represents.

[Happyhippychick]

8. We don't have to be in 100% lockstep, if we did none of us would be married.

[True Blue American]

31. :)

[Happyhippychick]

32. :) she says on her 30th wedding anniversary!

[mjvpi]

9. Yes, to the extent that this is war. We must get rid of Trump.

But I needed Kasich to acknowledge that by being a powerful part of a party that for years and years has put increasing personal wealth above all else, has built a party where Trump is the logical extension. We have 40% of our population, mostly older and white, who believe in freedom absent responsibility and believe things like their religion can be inflicted on their neighbor. John Kasich, in no small way, helped to build this monster.

[frazzled]

16. Not mostly older

Indeed, a plurality of white working-class voters under age 39 support Trump, and the largest percentage of wwc Trump supporters are in the 40-64 category—more so than seniors. Being white and working class is the biggest factor, not age at all.

Table 1: Voting intentions of white working-class voters by age


Voting for/leaning toward Trump
18-39: 55% 40-64: 66% 65+: 62%

Voting for/leaning toward Biden
18-39: 40% 40-64: 32% 65+: 35%

Former Vice President Biden doesn’t hold any special appeal for white working-class voters under 40. Indeed, voters over 65 are more likely to think well of him. Of the 40% of young voters who support Biden, only 5% express approval of him, while 35% say they that they will be casting a vote against President Trump. As Table 2 shows, a plurality of these voters think that the Trump presidency is a failure.

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/07/06/president-trump-is-losing-support-among-young-white-working-class-voters/

[mjvpi]

19. Thank you for the accurate statistics.

As a 62 year old white guy, I’m even more happy that my country doesn’t look exactly like me!

[WyLoochka]

10. This will help get other voter conversions

Many people are Republicans, not because of policy, but more due to family and community influence. At least up here in the northern Rockies and northern plains. Once they start listening to actual Democratic Party policies and values, a good number will figure out that they are Democrats too.

[Pobeka]

14. Could not agree more. This gives republicans a way to get out of lockstep.

And you are right, many will discover they are actually democrats on the issues.

[George II]

12. It was a smart decision, and as it turns out Kasich gave one of the better addresses of the night.

[CaptYossarian]

13. This is a brilliant strategy for us.

Although the phrase "Democrats For Reagan" is a quick replacement for Ipecac syrup.

[Dopers_Greed]

15. I'm totally fine with it

If a single Dem defected and started supporting Trump, they would be all over Fux News and the RNC.

[no_hypocrisy]

20. FFS, Perez was enlarging Biden's supporters, NOT incorporating their

otherwise Republican policies into the Platform.

[elleng]

36. Yes.

[DENVERPOPS]

22. I saw Christy Todd Whitman

and turned it off........She SINGLE HANDEDLY has caused the deaths of countless fire and police who are now getting cancer from the dust Whitman corruptly claimed was okay to breath. She was head of EPA and said no problem, despite her people in the EPA and the USGS screaming their heads off about the horrific levels of Methyl-Ethyl Bad Shit in the dust for miles around the towers.....

I realize that the Dems need to show them to win over other Old Guard Republican voters, but one act doesn't make them saints after helping the RepuliCONs all these years to get the RepubliCONs to the place they are today.......

[dware]

24. Nobody here is claiming them as saints,

our eyes are wide open, but, with our Democracy on the brink, it's very wise to accept any and all help we can get to evict the Mango Menace and his criminal gang from the WH.

As NurseJackie said in another thread, we aren't marrying them.

[elleng]

35. Yes.

[gopiscrap]

23. no shit stain repuke

should ever be speaking at a Democratic Convention. They are responsible for the divisive political culture for the past 28 years. FUCK ALL OF THEM

[dware]

27. Great attitude.

We need every vote, be it D, R, or I and I for one, like the majority here, welcome any and all votes for Joe Biden/Kamala Harris and if that means having an R speak out against the Mango Menace and his criminal gang at our Convention, then so be it, we can tell them later after the election to fuck off.

[bucolic_frolic]

28. We're a big tent party, they have nowhere to go, we need Main Street Republicans for jobs

A governing coalition similar to the Progressive Era may well be possible. Let's not nip it in the bud.

[elleng]

34. "The moment that you give up the search for common ground

is the moment that governance gets really, really hard.”

[DeminPennswoods]

37. Don't mind Rs speaking, just mind Kasich doing it

nt