Donna Brazile takes on Begala over his "eggheads and African Americans" comments

[madfloridian]

Run time: 02:18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzOTfbpGj1s   Posted on YouTube: May 07, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: May 08, 2008 By DU Member: madfloridian Views on DU: 1788

 
Here is the article from Raw Story about it.

I say good for Donna.

Donna Brazile loses patience with CNN talkers

Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, who managed the campaign of Al Gore in the 2000 election, got into a heated back-and-forth with fellow talking heads on CNN amid discussions of Tuesday’s primary results.

Paul Begala, political consultant and former adviser to President Bill Clinton, began by saying, “Some of the commentary tonight kinda bothers me. If point is that there’s a new Democratic Party that somehow doesn’t need or want white working class people and Latinos, well count me out.

“We cannot win with eggheads and African-Americans,” Begala warned, which got an animated rise out of Brazile, yielding laughter and applause from those in CNN’s studio.

CNN host Campbell Brown chimed in, saying of Obama, “Why hasn’t he been able to yet?”

Responded Brazile, “Do you think that Barack Obama would be leading in the pledged votes, the delegate votes, the money, if it was simply because somehow or another black people … became the majority? Barack Obama has won the hearts and the minds of white voters as well as black and Hispanics.”

Well, Paul Begala, I must be an egghead. Shame on you and others who have used race and other ways to divide us during this campaign.

And kudos to Donna Brazile.

[LisaM]

1. Well no one's going to accuse Donna of being an egghead

That's for sure!

[madfloridian]

4. I don't know why you felt the need to say that.

Do you feel better now?

[LisaM]

5. No. I just don't like her.

She has been one of the worst spokespeople for the Democrats EVER. Whenever I see she's going to be on a panel, I just cringe. Did you hear her after the Mission Accomplished fiasco? She was going on and on about how she liked the macho man image Bush put forth.

[madfloridian]

7. Well, that's ironic as hell..

cause one of our candidates is trying to copy his macho man image. And her name is Hillary Clinton.

I think Donna Brazile has been objective, and I think Begala, Carville, and many others sold out their credibility to support their candidate come hell or high water.

I like Donna Brazile very much. I hate to see the hatred toward her here at DU.

[LisaM]

8. I don't HATE her.

Obviously Carville and Begala are not objective, but she is really not very objective THIS election.

And, her statements about the GBLT platform - her actions on that - really turned me off (in essence she told Howard Dean that including GBLT rights would diminish the civil rights agenda).

[madfloridian]

9. So that's it.

There was more to the story. But I ain't going there cause I been attacked enough here.

Think what you will.

Let Begala redefine the party. Who the heck cares.

[LisaM]

16. Neither of them defines the party to me.

But I don't think any agenda for equal rights should take a backseat to another. What's wrong with thinking that?

[iamthebandfanman]

18. right, versus the other people on there...

and you pick out her to go after?
please. they are ALL political hacks...

i say good on her for actually speaking outa her normal straight line party self...
usually shes just a party msg repeater...

nice to see her speak her opinion for once.

i know i was shocked when i saw it going down on CNN...

[zanne]

2. Obama should issue an apology for being too black for Paul Begala. nt

[madfloridian]

3. Here's more from the transcript. Begala was insulting.

PAUL BEGALA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I think Alex makes an interesting allegation for us to swear a point. He said that Obama is closing the door on those white working class voters. I don't think that's the case at all, although some of the commentary tonight kind of bothers me.

When people say things, I love Donna. I mean, we go back 22 years. We've never been on different sides of an argument in our entire lives. But if she's -- if her point is that, you know, there's a new Democratic Party that somehow doesn't need or want white working class people and Latinos, well, count me out.

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I didn't say that.

BEGALA: We cannot win with eggheads. Definitely (ph) different points. We cannot win with eggheads and African-Americans. OK. That's the Dukakis coalition which carried 10 states and gave us four years of the first George Bush.

President Clinton, you know, reached across and got a whole lot of Republicans and independents to come. I think Senator Obama and Senator Clinton both have that capacity. They both have a unique ability. Well, it's not unique. They both have it. They both have a remarkable ability to reach out to those working class white folks and Latinos.

Senator Clinton has proven it. Barack has not yet, but he can, and I certainly hope he's not shutting the door on expanding the party.

BROWN: OK. The eggheads and African-Americans, that's in a new coalition?

BRAZILE: Paul -- first of all, Paul, you didn't hear me right. Maybe I should come and cook you something because you've got a hearing problem.

I was one of the first Democrats who are going to those white working class neighborhoods, encouraging white Democrats not to forget their roots. I've drank more beers with Joe six packs, Jane six pack and everybody else than most white Democrats that you're talking about.

In terms of Hispanics, you know, Paul, I know the math. I know Colorado, I know Nevada, I know New Mexico. So that's not the issue. I'm saying that we need to not divide and polarize the Democratic Party as if the Democratic Party will rely simply on white, blue collar male. You insult every black, blue-collar Democrat by saying that.

So stop the divisions. Stop trying to split us into these groups, Paul, because you and I both know we've been in more campaigns. We know how Democrats win. And to simply suggest that Hillary's coalition is better than Obama's, Obama is better than Hillary. No. We have a big party, Paul.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0805/06/se.02.html

[hisownpetard]

6. Just curious - what does one cook for a hearing problem?

[King Coal]

13. Nitro-glycerin

[hisownpetard]

14. I was thinking maybe crystal meth or crack...

[murielm99]

10. I'm surprised Brazile is getting praise from DU.

Usually she is excoriated for all the losing campaigns she has run, and for being a poor spokesperson on panels.

And hasn't she been calling herself an uncommitted delegate while making obviously pro-Obama statements? I guess anyone who defends Obama can be rehabilitated and can do no wrong.

[ProfessorPlum]

11. anybody that calls out a stupid comment such as "Obama is

not trying to appeal to white working class voters" is correct to do so.

[madfloridian]

12. So are you an egghead or African American?

If you are either, you are trying to take the party from the others according to Begala.

I guess I should have known not to praise Donna Brazile at DU. Those who support Clinton despise her for some reason, and gays here hate her.

I should have known.

I think what Begala said was inexcusable. Do you defend it.

[Mitch Hussein]

21. Screw these haters

I agree with you madfloridian. You are absolutely right. This is madness, because she is NOT winning her surrogants don't have the rights to go out and insult the Obama's supporters. That's crazy, and anybody on here defending what Begala said IS a egghead...

[raystorm7]

15. Funny thing about all this is that Begala of all people literally has an EGG HEAD. Look at him LOL!

[phrigndumass]

17. Good on ya, Donna Brazile!

That's Paul Begala channeling Chris Kattan. Apologetic, but wrong!

[madfloridian]

19. I had to look up that name....but don't get the connection to the egghead part.

I was stunned Begala would say that out loud. Explain the Kattan comment...I gather from Sat. Night Live?

[ToughLuck]

20. Begala is an asshole, but am I alone in disliking Campbell Brown?

Gosh, I can't stand that woman, she is always ready to make the most asinine remarks.

[democracy1st]

22. kick