How does one fight illegal National Guard deployments, the kidnapping of immigrants, and creeping fascism? Well, if you’re a mainstream Democrat, there seems to be only one strategy – sternly-worded letters and weak press conferences.
At least, that’s how it seems to people like AOC’s former chief of staff Saikat Chakrabarti, who is challenging former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her seat in Congress. He joins Mehdi on this week’s episode of ‘Mehdi Unfiltered.’
“She [Pelosi] has this style of politics that I think is completely out of step with what actually needs to happen today,” Chakrabarti tells Mehdi.
In this interview, Mehdi asks Chakrabarti – the co-founder of Justice Democrats – why he believes Pelosi’s response to Democrats’ loss last November was, “completely insufficient.”
Chakrabarti also takes aim at Democrats’ current House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, with Mehdi asking the former Hill staffer whether Jeffries needs a primary challenger.
“We’re not going to win unless we completely change who the party is,” Chakrabarti says.
Mehdi also presses him on his millionaire status, “Should that make people skeptical of you?”
Paid subscribers can watch the full interview to hear Chakrabarti explain why his other opponent Scott Weiner would be even worse for Palestinian rights and whether he is worried about AIPAC coming after him.
Free subscribers can watch a 5-minute preview. Consider upgrading and never hit a paywall again.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This conversation was taped before Hakeem Jeffries endorsed NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani, and before Trump reversed his decision on sending the National Guard into San Francisco.
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