In a wide-ranging interview on Morning Joe this morning, Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill covered the following topics:
The Womens March: I frankly said in a very short remarks to the crowd in St. Louis, hey, quit yelling at the TV and let this not be the last time you use some shoe leather. And we will be trying very hard to capture this energy and make sure it translates into volunteers and door knocking and all of the things that are really necessary for us to fight, particularly with Citizens United, the amount of dark money that is going to flow into these midterm elections.
Why Trump Won, and an important fact about ACA Repeal: One of the women from rural Missouri at the march ran up and grabbed me by the hand at one point. and said, "I feel so guilty. I just assumed he wouldn't win. I could have done more. I should have done more." And there was a lot of that in the crowd. I mean, I do think some of this outpouring is a sense of responsibility that way too many people were not paying close enough attention that there were a whole lot of people in America that Donald trump was talking to that didn't hear our side. and that is why I want to make sure that we don't get caught up in gender politics or ethnic politics. we got to get caught up in making sure that we are communicating to Americans that with repeal of Obamacare, the tax cut that is coming, not one dime of that tax cut will go to anybody who makes under $200,000. Let me repeat take that. not one dime of the tax cut that they are going to enact with the appeal of Obamacare will go to people who make under $200,000.
Trump's Cabinet: I am looking at each of them individually, just as that, as individuals. I have worked with Mattis, General Mattis and General Kelly, and I do think they are a tempering influence on some of Donald Trump's irresponsible rhetoric when it comes to the worldwide stage. I will vote against Betsy DeVos because of her answers. If she didn't know about the IDEA, protecting disabled people in our education system, and doesn't know the difference, the issue, between proficiency versus growth, she doesn't belong in that job.
Important to include here is what Mika Brezinski said about the Womens March:
MIKA BREZINSKI: I think there has to be some fairness in terms of translating for both sides. We translate for Trump a lot. We know what he means a lot when people sometimes are going for the shiny objects. So I would suggest that those who are skeptical about the marches, don't listen to Madonna saying eff you and talking about-- don't look at the shiny objects. These are Americans who care about equal pay and who, look at the millions of women, care about women's health and who care about Obamacare staying in place and getting better, who care about those tax cuts going to the right people, not the wrong people, who care about the environment and who care about the Democratic Party organizing for the future. Because that is what happened on Saturday. As we translate for Trump a lot because that has been necessary at times because the media has been way off, I think these marches need to be put in perspective and this president needs to address these people. I really believe it.
