Listen to this full episode of The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and Stitcher (update links).
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker rebuked President Donald Trump’s attempts to stylize himself as an American King in a rousing speech that exemplified “rising to the moment,” said co-host Danielle Moodie on the latest episode of The New Abnormal.
“My oath is to the Constitution of our state and of our country. We don’t have kings in America, and I don’t intend to bend the knee to one,” said Pritzker in his speech at the Illinois State Capitol on Wednesday. “I’m not speaking up in service to my ambitions, but in deference to my obligations. If you think I’m overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this: It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic.”
Pritzker reportedly left some Republicans heading for the exits, with Illinois GOP leader Tony McCombie telling the Chicago Tribune, “Certainly wasn’t what we anticipated. We had obviously thought we were going to have a little gaslighting but certainly didn’t think we were going to see a flamethrower by any means.”
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According to co-host Andy Levy, Pritzker’s speech smartly avoids what he believes has been a common mistake among Democrats: “Running campaigns warning of the fascist threat of Donald Trump and MAGA, and then pretending they can be worked with once they’ve won the election,” he said.
Plus! New York Magazine senior writer Sarah Jones, author of Disposable: America’s Contempt for the Underclass, discusses the politicizing of poverty, suffering, and systemic failures laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Listen to this full episode of The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and Stitcher.
