On Tuesday, PBS host Tavis Smiley appeared on Morning Joe to enlighten viewers with his presidential election analysis. What did we learn? Apparently progressivism is a gift that keeps on giving. According to Smiley, Bernie Sanders should take a page out of Jesse Jackson’s playbook, without Jesse Jackson there would have been no Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton is a much better candidate thanks to Bernie Sanders.
Smiley praised Socialist Senator Sanders’ ability to push the Democratic Party further to the left:
…That Hillary needed a challenge from her left for three reasons. One because left to her own devices for many of us on the progressive left she's too hawkish on foreign policy, not progressive enough on domestic policy. Just as she made Obama a better candidate, a challenge from her left would make her a better candidate. And so Bernie Sanders comes out of nowhere and does exactly what I thought needed to be done. And now I think she’s a much better candidate. What she needs to do now, I think she’s already started which is to become a bit more progressive on those issues that Bernie talked about. You saw her move a little bit to the left on some of the issues during the campaign. So I think one she's already started to do that.
Smiley is quite the typical MSNBC guest. The cable network is promoting the views of someone who believes that Hillary Clinton is a “much better candidate” going into the general election, where she needs to win the support of a wide-variety of undecided voters, because she has drawn on the “progressive” ideologies of a socialist. Additionally, how is Clinton a “better candidate,” given her record-breaking unfavorable numbers?
Smiley then shared his predictions on Clinton’s potential running mate:
…I don't know that having, let’s be frank about it, an older white guy as your running mate. I don't know how that helps you. That’s why she and Julian [Castro] look so good together, she and Cory Booker look so good. And frankly, this talk about Elizabeth Warren. I could be wrong about this, I just don't see it happening either. I don't see Warren on the ticket either. I don't think Hillary Clinton wants to roll the dice any more than she’s already rolling trying to become the first woman president.
Smiley’s ultra-progressive view is that an older white male and/or a middle-aged white female wouldn’t do the trick for VP, yet a Hispanic and/or African-American male and Hillary Clinton would “look so good together.”
Host Scarborough’s thoughts? He “couldn’t agree more.”
Only time will tell how the Democratic Party’s venture to the left and beyond will impact common-sense, undecided voters in this country who do not identify with socialism.
View Full Transcript Here:
06-21-16 MSNBC - Morning Joe
07:44:16 AM - 07:48:18 AM
JOE SCARBROUGH: So Tavis, let’s begin with you. What does Hillary Clinton need to do to bring together the Democratic Party as she moves towards the fall, especially when she's looking for a VP?
TAVIS SMILEY: First of all, Joe, it's good to see you. I wish you were here so I could get my hug but anyway. Love you anyway. I was cracking up walking on the set when I heard you all tease the segment. Bernie Sanders is not on the list. Did anybody think he would be?
[Laughs around the table]
NICOLLE WALLACE: Right.
SMILEY: Did anybody really think that Bernie Sanders was going to be on Hillary's short or long list for that matter as a running mate? They’ve had a spirited campaign. I said on this program a couple of years and caught hell for saying it and I’m glad I said it and I don’t retract it and I think it proved to be right. That Hillary needed a challenge from her left for three reasons. One because left to her own devices for many of us on the progressive left she's too hawkish on foreign policy, not progressive enough on domestic policy. Just as she made Obama a better candidate, a challenge from her left would make her a better candidate. And so Bernie Sanders comes out of nowhere and does exactly what I thought needed to be done. And now I think she’s a much better candidate. What she needs to do now, I think she’s already started which is to become a bit more Progressive on those issues that Bernie talked about. You saw her move a little bit to the left on some of the issues during the campaign. So I think one she's already started to do that. Number two, it's going to be interesting to see how Joe this plays out. This platform committee debate how that plays out at the convention with Cornel West and others being appointed by Bernie on that to represent him at least, and his point of view in that fight. So I think it's going to happen. The big debate of course is how Bernie supporters are going to feel about him ultimately endorsing Hillary Clinton. But I don't think anybody at this table thinks that's not ultimately going to happen.
MARK HALPERIN What do you think Philadelphia will look like?
SMILEY: That's a good question. I think it depends on whether Bernie comes around a bit more than he did in the speech the other day before the convention happens. I think it's about how he sets the table. And I think one of the best examples of how to do that is Jesse Jackson, ’84, ’88. You know Jesse really did I think show us how to use the leverage that you have to get something done. We all know that Ron Brown became democratic chairman because Jesse used his leverage in advance of that convention and in fact so I think there are some lessons to be learned from Jesse Jackson-- Jesse doesn't get enough credit when we talk about politics these days. Because were it not for Jesse Jackson forcing a rule change. Talk about how important these platform committee changes are, Mike. If it weren't for Jesse forcing a rule, a change in the platform rules, the Democratic Party would still be electing candidates, you know, winner take all. Jesse forced through portion of voting and were it not for Jesse Jackson doing that there would literally be no Barack Obama as President and Hillary wouldn’t have had the success she's had. So Jesse Jackson again is an example on a number of fronts but Bernie I think should take a page out of his playbook try to use the leverage you have going to the convention.
HALPERIN: Totally agree, totally agree. Because he had a vision of how he wanted to end up and he knew that vision had to include unity by the end of the convention.
SMILEY: That’s right. So Bernie should take a page out of his playbook.
THOMAS ROBERTS: When we think about—you say of course she’s not going to look at him. We just got an e-mail this morning from Michael Brigs about the money that Bernie was able to raise in May and Mark Murray put this out. $16.4 million in May raised, spent $12 million. So June 1st right now he’s got $9 million in the bank. So not only does he have leverage. He has cash. Why wouldn't that be attractive to Hillary Clinton?
SMILEY: I think that -- it's my own personal point of view. I think that she and Bernie had a spirited fight. But I don't think that she wants to anger Wall Street. She’s been, let’s be honest she's taking money from them like nobody's business. I don't know how Bernie aids and abets her when it comes to that particular audience. And again, I don't relish that. But that's the way she's run the campaign. So one, I don't think that's an advantage for her. And secondly, I don't know that having, let’s be frank about it, an older white guy as your running mate. I don't know how that helps you. That's why she and Julian look good together. That’s why she and Julien look so good together, she and Cory Booker look so good. And frankly, this talk about Elizabeth Warren. I could be wrong about this, I just don't see it happening either. I don't see Warren on the ticket either. I don't think Hillary Clinton wants to roll the dice any more than she’s already rolling trying to become the first woman president.
WALLACE: Joe.
SCARBOROUGH: Couldn't agree more with you, Tavis.
