On Wednesday's New Day, CNN political analyst David Gregory downplayed the dispute between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders supporters over DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz: "I do think this is overblown...the rules in the parties...[are] not meant to elevate the unconventional, outside candidate. That's true in the Republican side; and it's probably truer on the Democratic side with the super-delegates." Gregory later asserted that "there is certainly discord within the Democratic Party. It's not as big as we've seen and are seeing on the Republican side." [video below]
Anchor Alisyn Camerota introduced the topic by reporting that "sources tell CNN that leading Democrats are considering whether Debbie Wasserman Schultz should be removed as DNC chair — saying she may have become too toxic after exchanging some strong words with Bernie Sanders." She and co-anchor Chris Cuomo turned to Gregory, The Daily Beast's Jackie Kucinich, and The Daily Caller's Matt Lewis for their takes on the infighting.
Lewis first noted that the issue is "actually part of a larger narrative — that Bernie Sanders is saying the game is rigged." Kucinich underlined that "if Hillary Clinton is the nominee, it is her decision," and pointed out that "Wasserman Schultz has been a Hillary Clinton loyalist from the very beginning; and she is a great fundraiser." She soon added, however, that "this has happened before. She's a very controversial figure within the Democratic Party."
Cuomo then contended that "the idea of, like, an insurgency is a little misleading," and emphasized that "the feeling...is that she's not the root of the problems in the party right now. It's the disconnect in the Democrat population of what they want out of a nominee." Gregory responded with his "overblown" claim about the controversy over Wasserman Schultz. The CNN anchor soon interjected, "But it sounds bad, David...you described it very benignly there, but it still sounds bad. It sound like, inherently, these parties are undemocratic."
The political analyst asserted that "part of the angst about Debbie Wasserman Schultz, as Jackie said, has been going on for a long time. But let's not forget...Bernie Sanders supporters, acting the way they did out in Las Vegas, was not appropriate — okay? Now, he's got to be able to own that." He ended with his claim that the "discord" in the Democratic Party is "not as big as we've seen and are seeing on the Republican side."
The transcript of the relevant portion of the panel discussion from the May 25, 2016 edition of CNN's New Day:
ALISYN CAMEROTA: Sources tell CNN that leading Democrats are considering whether Debbie Wasserman Schultz should be removed as DNC chair — saying she may have become too toxic after exchanging some strong words with Bernie Sanders.
CHRIS CUOMO: When toxic isn't enough — only in politics is toxic not the bar.
[CNN Graphic: "Could Wasserman Schultz Be Ousted As DNC Chair?"]
CAMEROTA: That's right. We'll have Britney Spears weigh in on that later. (Cuomo and panelists laugh) Let's discuss with our panel — David Gregory, Jackie Kucinich, and Matt Lewis. So Matt, can she be removed? Is this the right cause — if she's exchanged strong words with Bernie Sanders?
MATT LEWIS, SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR, THE DAILY CALLER: Well, I think it's part of a — it's actually part of a larger narrative — that Bernie Sanders is saying the game is rigged. I mean, look, he's calling for a recanvassing in Kentucky. That's a state where you had Alison Lundergan Grimes, a Hillary Clinton supporter, who called the election before the A.P. So, there's, sort of, a pattern, I think, where at least the appearance that the game is rigged against Bernie Sanders; and going into a convention where it's going to be contentious, chaotic, messy — as Bernie Sanders said — if you want to quell that — you know, chaos, maybe having a different chairperson would be a good idea.
[CNN Graphic: "Democratic Senators Worry DNC Chair 'Too Toxic'"]
JACKIE KUCINICH, SENIOR POLITICS EDITOR, DAILY BEAST: But this ultimately is — is if Hillary Clinton is the nominee, it is her decision. And Debbie Wasserman Schultz has been a Hillary Clinton loyalist from the very beginning; and she is a great fundraiser. She has a lot going for her, even—
CAMEROTA: So, she's not going anywhere?
KUCINICH: Well, I mean, it's up to Hillary Clinton and her campaign. And right now, Hillary Clinton is saying that it would be too messy — they didn't use that word—
LEWIS: And she'll — and it will be really messy—
KUCINICH: It will be really messy—
LEWIS: Because she's not going to go down quietly. She will not go into that good night. She has — she has signaled before that if anybody tries to oust her from her perch that she will go on the offensive—
KUCINICH: Because this has happened before. She's a very controversial figure within the Democratic Party, and there have been these behind the scenes kind of—
CAMEROTA: Coups?
KUCINICH: Back-stabbing—
LEWIS: Even before Bernie—
KUCINICH: Even way before Bernie. In 2014, we heard some of this—
CUOMO: They don't call them coups because you can't take power from the chair. It really is a top-down organization—
KUCINICH: Right—
CAMEROTA: Yeah?
CUOMO: So, if the president — you know, when you're in power—
CAMEROTA: Or the nominee—
CUOMO: When you're not in power, then it's a little different—
CAMEROTA: Right? Can oust her—
CUOMO: Yeah. It's really their call—
LEWIS: Yeah; yeah—
CUOMO: So, you know, the idea of, like, an insurgency is a — is a little misleading; and also, the feeling, David Gregory, is that she's not the root of the problems in the party right now. It's the disconnect in the Democrat population of what they want out of a nominee.
DAVID GREGORY: Well, yeah, but I do think this is overblown. I mean, yes, we keep saying, the rules in the parties — in both parties — favors (sic) the insider. It is not meant to — to elevate the unconventional, outside candidate. That's true in the Republican side; and it's probably truer on the Democratic side with the super-delegates. But the answer to this is to win; and Bernie Sanders is not going to win. I mean—
CUOMO: But it sounds bad, David. Even the way — you know, you described it very benignly there, but it still sounds bad. It sound like inherently—
GREGORY: I would disagree—
CUOMO: These parties are undemocratic.
GREGORY: Well, right, because they are — they are designed — the rules are designed in a way that makes it very difficult for someone who is an unconventional candidate to break through. I mean, that's just the fact of the matter—
CUOMO: It doesn't sound—
GREGORY: But the reality of this year is that you have unconventional candidates who have broken through—
CUOMO: Right—
GREGORY: But look, Hillary Clinton had a lot of control over the Democratic Party back in 2008, but she didn't win because Barack Obama was stronger; won more pledged delegates; had a different kind of organization to do that across the country.
So, look, Bernie Sanders — this is messy. Part of the angst about Debbie Wasserman Schultz, as Jackie said, has been going on for a long time. But let's not forget — I mean, Bernie Sanders supporters, acting the way they did out in Las Vegas, was not appropriate — okay? Now, he's got to be able to own that.
The other piece of it is, he's got all of these people who are going to be representing him — a disproportionate amount on the platform committee. He's going to have a big role in the convention. So, a lot — there is certainly discord within the Democratic Party. It's not as big as we've seen and are seeing on the Republican side. And there's some, really, challenges — real challenges for Hillary Clinton to bring over Bernie Sanders supporters. All of that is true — even if the other truth is that she's still winning — both on pledged delegates and on the super-delegates.
