Tiffany Cross’s MSNBC show is not known for nuance and well-argued analysis, but the Saturday edition of The Cross Connection still managed to one up itself when pollster and MSNBC contributor Fernand Amandi repeatedly claimed that the Republican Party is a fascist party and Roe v. Wade's downfall proves it.
Cross wanted to know the state of mind of Latino voters heading in the midterms, “you and I have talked about, there was a shift for a while it seemed like a lot of Latino men were shifting to the Republican Party. Now in the post Roe v. Wade decision, there's been another shift. I caution that some of this is geographic and you know, very specific to different areas, the Latino community is a huge umbrella community, I'm curious your thoughts on what is happening there.”
Amandi agreed that geography is playing a role, but “what has happened here is I think all Hispanic voters, and again all American voters, there's really no reason to single one group out or another, they have now seen with the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, this is Republican extremism, not in the theoretical, but in the here and now.”
In Amandi’s mind, voters equate pro-lifers with fascists, “So faced with that reality, not a fear tactic or scare tactic, I think the voters are saying ‘timeout, hold on, these Republican MAGA fascists are as bad as folks are saying because we see it now directly impacting our lives.’”
Amandi immediately repeated himself, “and that is why I think you have seen voters come back to the Democratic Party which is why I say as long as they draw that contrast, point out the extremism of this fascist, MAGA, Republican Party of today they're gonna be in strong shape going into the vote.”
He would later add “the beauty for us, for those of us who are on team democracy, and not on team fascism, is that the polls overwhelmingly show that most Americans, the vast majority are on the side of democracy and democratic reform on these key issues. The vast minority or on the side of the MAGA fascism trope.”
Previously, Armandi declared “The choice on the ballot is democracy and fascism and the Democrats stand for democracy, this today, incarnation of the MAGA Trump Republican Party stands for open fascism.”
That’s six uses of “fascist” or “fascism” in less than 15 minutes. It's clear he doesn’t know what fascism actually is—fascists aren’t exactly known for being keen on protecting innocent life— and he just uses the word as an insult and fear tactic, but in a bit of irony his co-panelist for the segment was Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, whose fellow co-founder Patrisse Cullors once infamously declared, “We are trained Marxists.”
Earlier in the segment Garza also spread lies about Republicans when she claimed, “Voter suppression laws are rampant across the country.”
Calling Republicans fascists while being on a segment with a Marxist. Such is the state of MSNBC.
This segment was sponsored by Tide.
MSNBC The Cross Connection with Tiffany Cross
8/20/2022
11:07 AM ET
FERNAND AMANDI: The choice on the ballot is democracy and fascism and the Democrats stand for democracy, this today, incarnation of the MAGA Trump Republican Party stands for open fascism.
…
11:17 AM ET
ALICIA GARZA: Then of course Tiffany, the last thing that is a major priority for black voters in this poll is making sure, right, that we have access to the ballot and we've heard this before, right? Voter suppression laws are rampant across the country and black voters want to make sure that they have access and the ability to weigh in on the decisions that impact our lives every single day.
…
TIFFANY CROSS: Quick question for you before I turn to Alicia. Latino voters, you and I have talked about, there was a shift for a while it seemed like a lot of Latino men were shifting to the Republican Party. Now in the post Roe v. Wade decision, there's been another shift. I caution that some of this is geographic and you know, very specific to different areas, the Latino community is a huge umbrella community, I'm curious your thoughts on what is happening there.
AMANDI: Well you’re right in your caution because certainly in parts of Florida where I am we don't quite see Hispanics gaining that massive amount of support that they are starting to gain in other parts of the country, but--but-- Tiffany, what has happened here is I think all Hispanic voters, and again all American voters, there's really no reason to single one group out or another, they have now seen with the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, this is Republican extremism, not in the theoretical, but in the here and now. It's happening in your face. So faced with that reality, not a fear tactic or scare tactic, I think the voters are saying "timeout, hold on, these Republican MAGA fascists are as bad as folks are saying because we see it now directly impacting our lives" and that is why I think you have seen voters come back to the Democratic Party which is why I say as long as they draw that contrast, point out—
CROSS: Yeah.
AMANDI: -- the extremism of this fascist, MAGA, Republican Party of today they're—
CROSS: Yeah.
AMANDI: -- gonna be in strong shape going into the vote.
…
AMANDI: And the beauty for us, for those of us who are on team democracy, and not on team fascism, is that the polls overwhelmingly show that most Americans, the vast majority are on the side of democracy and democratic reform on these key issues. The vast minority or on the side of the MAGA fascism trope.
