MSNBC political analyst Anand Giridharadas has a new book out called “The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy.” And yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like if what it sounds like is a book about how America is teetering on the precipice of full-blown fascism.
He appeared on “Morning Joe” today to tell Joe, Mika, and all 12 of their viewers about the staggering importance of his work:
Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites): In America "it is a dead heat between democracy and fascism"
Anand says he spoke to a "cult deprogrammer" to better understand Republicans so "the authoritarian menace" can be defeated. pic.twitter.com/3B7zOS6FrE
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) October 18, 2022
Transcript:
“It is a dead heat between democracy and fascism. And so I set out in ‘The Persuaders’ to ask why. I got tired of despairing, watching this show and all the excellent coverage of this descent towards fascism and authoritarianism, and, and, and, why is this happening? And why are we relegated to despairing about it? And I got tired of my own despair and decided to spend the last couple years reporting on people who are showing another way, particularly organizers working on the ground in communities across this country, outside the limelight. Activists, political leaders, scientists … there’s a cult deprogrammer in the book because, as you have covered on this show, we are there with millions of our fellow citizens. And I tried to learn from them what the pro-democracy movement can do, starting right now, to beat back the authoritarian menace to save American democracy, and realize the future of nice things that we all deserve.”
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And if you want to survive long enough to get to the future of nice things that we all deserve, you’re gonna have to have some serious heart-to-hearts with your QAnon relatives and climate-denier uncles:
Anand: "It’s important for those of you at home who have QAnon relatives … who have climate denier uncles or election denier uncles, to have better conversations … to defend the idea of America and not concede the idea of America to people who would destroy this country" pic.twitter.com/JrtzJAhGLO
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) October 18, 2022
What Anand could really use right about now is a heart-to-heart from one of his sane relatives who can maybe explain to him that this sort of ridiculousness ultimately doesn’t do the Left any favors.
There are people that listen to this propaganda and believe it.
— 🇺🇸Redrivergrl🇺🇸 Freedom isn't free (@redrivergrl) October 18, 2022
There are, but as we mentioned above, if it’s being broadcast on MSNBC, not that many people are actually listening to it.
Do MSNBC contributors know any other words outside of “democracy” and “fascism” ?
— Ikeyo 🇳🇬 (@Ikeyo_) October 18, 2022
Evidently not. Now would be a good time for them to learn some new ones.
MSNBC might want to stop steering toward the same
iceberg that brought down CNN.Just saying.
— Hobson – Please stop that (@chimera246) October 18, 2022
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