Wasserman Schultz Asked if DNC is ‘C—kblocking’ Bernie on Daily Show
By Lior Zaltzman April 5, 2016
The Democratic party chairman Debbie Wasserman Schultz was on “The Daily Show” with new-ish and less Jewish host Trevor Noah, when he laid this, some would say somewhat sexist, question:
“A lot of people feel,” Noah said, “I’m gonna paraphrase or rather, quote “Bernie being c—kblocked by the DNC?” is there any merit to this?”
The audience was laughing and cheering, but Wasserman Schultz seemed unfazed, “As powerful as that makes me feel I’m not doing a very good job of rigging the outcome or “blocking” anyone from being able to get their message out.”
“The reality is,” Wasserman Schultz added, “I have a job as national party chair that requires a thick skin… so our candidates can stay above the fray. If I have to take a few punches in order for them to get their message out there, then so be it.”
Despite that “click-baity” question, Noah asked the DNC chairman about other pressing matters:
On Super Delegates:
“Doesn’t the idea of a super delegate go against the fact that people should be voting for people who represent them at to conventions?” Noah asked.
“They do,” Wasserman Schultz retorted, reminding the host that super delegates have existed since 1984 and that they “have never determined the outcome of our nominees. It’s voters that can or should determine that outcome, and they always have.”
“I bet that my counterpart [in the GOP] is wishing for some magic pill or some Harry Potter invisible cloak,” Wasserman Schultz added, “We are going to come together, I’m confident. We are going to have our primary process unfold and a nominee will be chosen way before we get to the convention, and you are going to watch the chaos on the other side, where they are going to see their party splinter into I don’t know how many parts… Because of the vitriol… They have promoted.”
On Bernie or Bust:
“We are going to come together and be united because democrats understand what’s at stake at this election,” Wasserman Schultz told Noah after he brought up Susan Sarandon’s recent comments and the Bernie or Bust movement.
“Even if Bernie is the nominee?” Noah pushed.
“Absolutely,” Wasserman Schultz said emphatically.
“In 2008, our primaries were much more divisive, Obama and Clinton have gone each other much harder, and in the end they came together,” Wasserman Schulz reminded Noah.
Watch the full interview here.
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
