Journalists on MSNBC, Friday, fretted about the damage prominent socialists (such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) will do to the Democratic Party. At the same time, MSNBC Live host Stephanie Ruhle mocked the American people as dummies for not understanding how much of an upside it has for them.
Responding to the idea that socialism really means saving health care, Ruhle derided a broad swath of the country: “You're getting into details. You're talking about a nuanced powerful argument. But lots of people don't get into the argument.” She then shifted into what sounded like a bad Fargo accent, berating the stupidity of voters: "They just go, 'Oh, my gosh. Socialist? I can't have that! It's going to take all my money!'”
CNBC guest Ron Insana chimed in to insist: “I will tell you if the entire Democratic Party gets branded as socialists successfully going into the midterms or the 2020 presidential, they lose.”
Ruhle found this intolerable, whining: “Even if those are winning policies? It's such a difficult thing.” MSNBC contributor Eddie Glaude helpfully suggested: “We can reject the label.”
But, MSNBC has long been a fan of socialism. In 2014, then-host Ed Schultz praised modern-day Germany, saying, “Here’s some good socialism!” Socialism in Germany? You can add your own joke about that.
A partial transcript of the segment is below:
MSNBC Live
8/3/18
9:42
STEPHANIE RUHLE: What is happening inside the Democratic Party, while we're in primary season, is the rise of the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez campaigning with Bernie Sanders. And if you turn on Fox News, every day, they're talking about the rise of democratic socialism and that gets people scared. So while Republicans make a mistake banking to the right, do Democrats make the same mistake banking to the left?
EDDIE GLAUDE (MSNBC contributor): Let's think about this in the context of Tennessee.
RUHLE: Great point.
GLAUDE: It makes sense for this candidate to be centrist in Tennessee. It made sense Ocasio-Cortez to be who she was in her particular district.
RUHLE: Great point.
RON INSANA (CNBC contributor): You had Lamar Alexander in Tennessee. You had Harold Ford. Centrist Democrats. Centrist Republicans.
GLAUDE: Think of we've all forgotten about Conor Lamb in his district. But when you look at what he actually believed, what the policy he actually took. He doesn't seem like he would be the person to join the blue dog caucus though, right? Which is always an issue in terms of Democrats can do, the ways in which these ideological differences play themselves out in actual policy decisions.
BRENDAN GREELEY (FT. Alphaville U.S. editor): I also think we sit here and talk about this big concept of socialism. We debate what it actually means. All the polling I've seen — People go out state by state and ask what people care about. It's about the cost of health care.
RUHLE: Yes!
GRELEY: Right. That's what people care about. If you can show up and say I'm going to take care of the cost of health care, that's a really powerful argument.
RUHLE: You're getting into details. You're talking about a nuanced powerful argument. But lots of people don't get into the argument. They just go, [adopts dumb person accent] “Oh, my gosh. Socialist? I can't have that! It's going to take all my money!”
RON INSANA: And I will tell you if the entire Democratic Party gets branded as socialists successfully going into the midterms or the 2020 presidential, they lose.
RUHLE: Even if those are winning policies? It's such a difficult thing.
GLAUDE: This is the thing. We can reject the label and just — There's an old philosophical concept. Let’s explicate by elimination. Let’s get rid of term and see what it stands for.
RUHLE: Yes!
GLAUDE: Decent wages. When we talk about being able to afford one's house. To send one's kid to an affordable college. We talk about the basic on the ground issues.
RUHLE: Then, Eddite, the answer is take a page from the Republican's playbook. They have hijacked the word patriot is a beautiful strong American word. It means one who defends the honor and values of their country in the face of foes. The president does the opposite in the eyes of Helsinki.
