MSNBC Live viewers got an unfortunate display of civic illiteracy on Tuesday as host Katy Tur invited former Obama Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on to take a gratuitous shot at current Secretary Betsy DeVos and the federal government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.Tur teed up Duncan by asking, "If you could get on the line with Betsy DeVos right now, what advice would you be giving her?"
Duncan took the opportunity to take a shot at the Administration, "I don't quite know what they're doing there at the federal level. And there's this lack of credibility, a lack of commitment, a lack of seriousness, a lack of honesty. At the federal level, but at the state and local level, I see people with huge heart, huge commitment, working really, really hard."
Tur declined to point out that the constitutional division of powers between federal and state governments does not mean that the feds don't have a heart and also aren't "working really, really hard."
Instead Duncan continued:
That's where my entire focus is. We're starting a weekly call with school superintendents checking in what’s working, what’s not in terms of feeding kids. In terms of the education side, in terms of educating older kids as you talked about well as our younger babies. So, people could not be working harder. Could not be more committed and more compassionate. This isn't just about an education. This is really about taking kids and families at a time of tremendous crisis, worry, and anxiety and we have fantastic leaders who are all in to do that to the best of their ability.
No doubt there are state and local leaders who are doing the best they can under tremendous hardship, but taking unnecessary shots at current federal officials who have very limited power over local schools is not helpful. MSNBC should stick with the scientists.
Here is a transcript for the March 17 show:
MSNBC
MSNBC Live
2:52 PM ET
KATY TUR: If you could get on the line with Betsy Devos right now, what advice would you be giving her?
ARNE DUNCAN: I don't quite know what they're doing there at the federal level.
And there's this lack of credibility, a lack of commitment, a lack of seriousness, a lack of honesty. At the federal level, but at the state and local level, I see people with huge heart, huge commitment, working really, really hard. That's where my entire focus is. We're starting a weekly call with school superintendents checking in what’s working, what’s not in terms of feeding kids. In terms of the education side, in terms of educating older kids as you talked about well as our younger babies. So, people could not be working harder. Could not be more committed and more compassionate. This isn't just about an education. This is really about taking kids and families at a time of tremendous crisis, worry, and anxietyTUR: Yeah
DUNCAN: and we have fantastic leaders who are all in to do that to the best of their ability.
TUR: It's a safety net. Arne Duncan, Arne thank you very much for joining us
