Policy and a Pint®: Where's the Party?
by Steve Seel, Todd Rapp and Chas Anderson
March 24, 2016
This election season, we've seen the success of presidential candidates on both sides who would never have been the first pick of the so-called "party elite." So what are the states of the two main political parties in America? Are parties or even super-PACs still relevant in the age of grassroots uprisings, and a million media messages?
Host Steve Seel is joined by DLF'er Bill Bushey and Republican Chas Anderson about how the 2016 political race may permanently change how we think about American elections.
Listen to the conversation above, or download the MP3. Find choice quotes from the discussion below.
On the rise of Trump and Sanders:
"I think Donald Trump's raise and Bernie Sander's rise, is tied to the economics post Great Recession. American's are feeling uneasy, a big part of that is free trade...I think there's this great unrest and part of that has to do with some of the policies that have been pushed by Washington...They're just looking for change." — Chas Anderson, former executive director of the House GOP, current CEO of MZA and Company
On the GOP concern's around Trump:
"You never know which Donald trump is going to show up and I think that scares the national committee ... He's an entertainer. He wants to entertain his crowd and he has an enormous command over the media because Donald Trump equals rating which equals cash ... Donald Trump sees this as a reality TV show playing out live." — Chas Anderson
On fractions within the Democratic Party:
"I can't remember a time where age was such a critical factor on the Democratic side as it is to explain the difference between Sanders and Clinton. I mean age and race are greatly defining which candidate does well in which state and I think any time age becomes that kind of factor you are seeing a fundamental transformation. I don't think younger voters believe that the Clintons answers the questions anymore." — Todd Rapp, political expert and commentator, CEO of Himle Rapp and Company
On Trump using the Republican Party:
"In Trump's mind he feels like he's renting the Republican Party. If he's the nominee the Republican Party will report to Trump ... It will not be coordination. The Republican Party will do as [he says]. And you know if he's the nominee and he doesn't like what they're doing you're going to hear about it." — Chas Anderson
On the Republican Convention:
"They feel like they've lost control and remember it's not necessarily the presidential race that those delegates are worried about it may be the U.S. Senate, congressional, governor's races, all those other races ... The presidential candidate is a remarkably positive tool for local candidates most years and they're not sure if Donald Trump would be helpful for them." — Todd Rapp
On Super Delegates:
"The problem is that they're unpledged, so even if they publicly say they support Clinton they can go the convention on the first ballot do whatever they want and Sanders correctly is putting down the challenge, he's saying that if I win more pledged delegates the super delegates need to support me. It's a very good argument." — Todd Rapp
Funded by Target, Policy and a Pint® is an event series cosponsored by The Current and the Citizens League that engages people in important conversations about public policy in Minnesota.