'Morning Joe' panelist warns Democrats against 'super-wokeness'
Donny Deutsch says San Francisco school board vote means Democrats should focus more on jobs, education than going 'woke'
A "Morning Joe" panel on Wednesday said Democrats had a "wokeness problem" in a discussion of the San Francisco school board vote, in which three members were ousted because of progressive politics.
Host Joe Scarborough first noted that Democrats have been struggling with the Hispanic, Black and Asian voter base, before panelist Donny Deutsch, host of "On Brand With Donny Deutsch," offered his blunt assessment that Democrats have gone too far woke.
"The Democrats have to step away from the super wokeness," Deutsch said. "I mean San Francisco really tells what's going on. You have three school board members that were voted out by 70% because they're focusing on things like changing the name of schools. This is not what voters care about. When it comes to school, they care about are they safe, are they getting the right education … are the schools open?"
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 27: (L-R) Co-teachers at Yung Wing School P.S. 124 Marisa Wiezel (who is related to the photographer) and Caitlin Kenny give a lesson to their masked students in their classroom on September 27, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
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"This is a factual political discussion," he continued. "If you give the Republicans the ability to point the Democrats as this super-woke culture focused on the wrong things that don't matter to voters … you're going to lose. So you need to step away from super-wokeness."
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Scarborough agreed that woke politics is "really hurting" Democratic candidates. He also said that it upsets liberals just as must as conservatives.
"You can make a strong case, I think, that too many Democrats just don't speak in terms of the average American comprehending what they're saying," political commentator Mike Barnicle said during the discussion. He added that some voters think that the pandemic has destroyed children who have dealt with uncertainty surrounding school for the past two years.
In-person learning advocate Bethany Mandel feels the COVID pandemic and school closures that coincide with it have "completely destroyed the idea of a meritocracy in America" because children aren’t all receiving the same opportunities.
"The anxiety in this country, is like a pressure cooker," he said, noting that the tension may drive many voters to the Republican Party.
Three San Francisco school board members, President Gabriela López, Vice President Faauuga Moliga and Commissioner Alison Collins, were recalled Tuesday. Mayor London Breed said following the vote that voters delivered a strong message about the importance of focusing on a "well-run school system above all else."
Rows of school buses are parked at their terminal, in Zelienople, Pa. Reopening schools during the coronavirus pandemic means putting children on school buses, and districts are working on plans to limit the risk. (AP)
"San Francisco is a city that believes in the value of big ideas, but those ideas must be built on the foundation of a government that does the essentials well," the mayor said.