WGBH Radio; The Callie Crossley Show

I'm Cally Crossley This is the caliber. We're talking politics from the town to the Beltway. The House has passed a bill that would put an end to individual pricing goods at the grocery store. It's an omission that could compromise comparison shopping. Speaking of consumers rights consumer advocate and Senate contender Elizabeth Warren is still getting heat for putting her Cherokee ancestry to use. Will her tiny connection to Native Americans remain a mega problem on the campaign trail. On the road to the White House there's a major obstacle for third party candidates. Americans Elect fail to get an alternative candidate on the ballot. And Newark Mayor Cory Booker tells the Obama campaign another of the Bain game instead of smearing Mitt Romney's corporate past. Booker says it's time to focus on the issues that matter to voters. Up next it's politics as usual. First the news. From NPR News in Washington I'm Lakshmi saying a U.S. Airways flight from Paris to Charlotte North Carolina has been diverted to Maine. It's now

safely on the ground. Flight seven eight seven was taken to Bangor International Airport because of a passenger. Law enforcement officials say seem to be threatening no further details were provided. U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker will be leaving his post this summer. NPR's Quil Lawrence reports the news comes after the U.S. and Afghanistan signed a strategic partnership agreement. Ryan Crocker came out of retirement to lead the U.S. diplomatic mission to Afghanistan last summer at a time of strained relations between Kabul and Washington. Crocker has spent most of his time shepherding through a strategic partnership that promises an American commitment here for many years to come. CROCKER previously led the U.S. embassy in Baghdad during some of the darkest days of the Iraq war when the American ambassador's residence routinely took mortar and rocket fire. When he left Baghdad in 2009 there were reports that his health had suffered. He later took a post as dean of Texas A and M School of Government. No reason has been given for Crocker sudden plans to depart.

Quil Lawrence NPR News Kabul. The Securities and Exchange Commission says it's looking into JP Morgan Chase's financial reporting practices after the company announced a minimum two billion dollar trading loss and for the first time a change in its risk exposure model. The housing market's attracting more homeowners last month sales of previously owned homes rose to their high Samual level in nearly two years. We have more from NPR's David Mattingly. Sales of existing homes jumped nearly three and a half percent. The National Association of Realtors says there were fewer foreclosed homes on the market and that helped push the median home price higher by about 10 percent. Lawrence unit is the mayor's chief economist broadly speaking as a country as a whole. We are seeing a much. More balanced market condition in 2012. Nationwide the median price for a home resales in April topped one hundred seventy seven thousand dollars. Sales increased in all regions of the country. Dave Mattingly NPR News Washington Facebook stock is still falling on this

third day of trading since the company's initial public offering at last check the price of Facebook stock was about 13 percent below the IPO price of $38 a decline is baffling to some investors. Since there's been no significant change at Facebook since it arrived on the Nasdaq stock market now CEO Bob Feld said at a shareholders meeting that despite mistakes made in Facebook stay Bew is still a huge moment. Clearly we had mistakes within the Facebook listing. We still want to highlight the fact it was the largest. Do you ever. And on Friday of last week we processed over 570 million shares on Wall Street down to fifty seven Nasdaq up 14 S&P 500 up 9. This is NPR News. Good afternoon from the WGBH radio newsroom in Boston I'm Christina Quinn with some local stories we're following. A new report is touting Massachusetts as having the third lowest rate of injury death among adults in the country released today by the Trust for America's Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The study ranks states by their injury prevention policies including

requiring helmets. It also uses data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Overall Massachusetts ranks forty ninth in injury fatalities with only New York and New Jersey boasting lower rates. And nearly 60 Massachusetts cities and towns are urging Congress to pass a constitutional amendment that would overturn the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in a Citizens United case. A total of 56 cities and towns from across the state have passed resolutions on the issue. With more expected to vote on similar resolutions in the coming weeks advocates say support to overturn the 2010 ruling which allows for corporate money to enter elections and expands corporate rights is growing across the country. Massachusetts officials say last June's tornadoes caused about 200 million dollars in damages to insured personal and commercial property. Governor Deval Patrick's administration says 98 percent of those eleven thousand five hundred tornado related claims have been paid. Officials say homeowners and businesses also have gotten about twenty six point seven million dollars in federal assistance to cover uninsured losses. Rylan lawmakers plan to vote on

legislation that would remove a sales tax on package tours and sightseeing trips. The state Senate is scheduled to debate and vote on the measure today. Lawmakers voted to impose a 7 percent tax last year to help shore up the state's budget. In sports the Red Sox take on the Orioles again in Baltimore tonight with Felix Doubront on the mound. Brian Matusow is pitching for the Orioles and widespread showers throughout the in the forecast throughout the afternoon with highs in the mid 60s tonight cloudy with overnight lows in the upper 50s right now 61 in Boston 63 in Worcester and in Providence Support for NPR comes from Barnes and Noble maker of Nook Simple touch with glow light designed for reading with the lights on or off available at Barnes and Noble stores or dot com. Good afternoon I'm Cally Crossley. We're talking politics today. Joining me to talk through local and national politics are Dorothy Clarke Kevin Pietersen and Marvin Benet. Dorothy Clarke is president of Clark Strategic Communications. Kevin Peterson is founder of the New Democracy coalition which is based at the college for public

and community service at UMass Boston. And Marvin Benet is the executive director of the Massachusetts black and Latino Democratic Legislative Caucus. Welcome back everybody. It's good to be here thank you. All right well let's just jump right in on something that appears to be an ongoing controversy and that's about ybe t reform and abt refers to the cards that are used by people on welfare to purchase goods and services. So the Senate budget last week said look we got a ban on using the welfare card for gambling guns body piercing strip clubs bail and fines. And there is also a criminal penalty for cashing out food stamps and that's been a lot of attention paid to that because that's fraud has been involved in that. But Senator Robert headland says that's really not enough. And he has gone back to some of the proposals that were in a house measure and asked that that be included to

shore up the kind of penalties for messing around with cards. What he would like to do is to in the cash access for abt recipients particularly ban the spending in border states impose fines on businesses that take welfare as payment for goods forbidden goods particularly so that would be that gambling that we've heard to and require the state to study the cost of putting users photos on their cards. What do you all think about this. Where is this going. Does he have a chance of boosting the penalties that are already included in the Senate budget or not. Well it doesn't sound like there is much of a chance of there being additional legislation to the current bill. And quite frankly I think it's much to do about nothing. I think that the charges that have been raised around the so-called illicit use of these

cards has been so much trumped up to the extent that I don't think that this is of much of an issue at all you know it really does harken back to the old issue of the welfare queen where where a bogeyman so to speak was constructive in order to punish the poor. I think there needs to be some reform to it but I think. Sort of reading this program of the cash benefits or the capacity to to to withdraw cash it's a little bit draconian. That's my guess Kevin Pietersen. Marvin Vinay you're talking to the legislators a lot do obviously headland feels like there's room for people to abuse the cards and the fact that there are some detailing of what the cards can be used for or not. So for example already in the budget I don't know you know there was people using it for gambling or potentially guns but it appears and so even though Kevin says there's really not

much room or there hasn't been much room for abuse or it's not as much as people say. Obviously folks are concerned about it. Well I mean if we're going to be frank there are there is abuse that occurs in the system. Across the board however the measurements that Senator Headland is trying to implement really do not satisfy the reform. I mean he is really looking to make a drastic change without doing the necessary research to find ways to solve the problem in the bigger picture of the House has already indicated that they're willing to invest one hundred thousand dollars in consulting fees to try to investigate this process and figure out ways in which we can change the system to to make things better for those who are on the system but I think ultimately removing the cash benefits is a detriment to society and it will not allow those individuals to to actually be able to move around and says you know they can't find they won't be able to get access to work. They could also be limited in some of their prescriptions that they can purchase if they don't have the cash benefits. I mean these

cash benefits are not just for you know leisure usage they actually are for families to get access to some of their greater or greater resources that the card doesn't allow. So Mara just to be clear if you get cash access from the card. You use the cash for stuff that you need as you've indicated prescription drugs and and these are places that would not take the card itself is that which is and there are places that do not take the BT car to themselves. There are some pharmacies that do not at this point. So you would be required to pay that co-pay with the cash benefits that are that are a part of your benefits. OK dory What do you think. Well I'm going to tack in from the right here Cali. I think the biggest problem in the in this whole scenario is the fact that Democrats have allowed Robert headland a Republican to be the one getting the ink about this. Nobody likes fraud. No sensible voter wants people to be using their you know their card to get tattoos or gambling it's ridiculous.

And I think that there is a charge a common charge. That if you're looking to to make reforms in the system it's an attack on the poor. Well this is not exactly an attack on the poor. Instead it is a way of saying look if we're going to be giving you money for you know for not working then you ought to use it for the things you ought to use it for. I don't think that that should be a Republican issue I actually think that the Democrats would do better if they were working with Hedlund and there was a little bit more of a bipartisan effort toward reform. I think that would be better for their brand. I agree. Let me let me let me follow up dory just a second because to rease Murray it seems at least in this piece from The Boston Herald to be particularly flinty about this and she sort of reprimanded one of the other reps who was you know saying that there should be support for what the headline is is trying to do and Murray said listen I wish I had seen some passion from from this

particular rep about some other issues rather than this. So are you reading her response to mean look we've done stuff before and this is trumped up there's not that much fraud. Back to what Kevin said. Or are you just reading. I wish we'd been there first and so now we have to come up from the rear. I'm reading that is Terry Murray saying look I don't want people grandstanding I run this place. Ok it's like that OK. Yeah. Marvin you're about to say something. No I just was going to add that you know I think that this is something that you know we have to pay close attention to and you know the media has exploited this issue which is allowed to actually catch you know some some great press coverage with the fact that they've used the incident where there was a gentleman who was calling to get Bele money off a card there was another one who committed some sort of fraud where they were selling their food stamps. I mean there are going to be isolated incidents but on the end of it those are individual bases. But for those families who are not

you know not putting themselves in harm's way are contradicting the system by using their using their benefits for other resources. It's this is not the way that you should go. And so I think that there has to become some sort of connection between both Democrats and Republicans to find a solution to this and it's not just one party's job. And I just agree. I just believe in general. Poor people are not taking advantage of this process a degree that it's been led to think that these are if they're true. I don't think any of these allegations have been been proven in court in any substantial way. But if they're true I think there are very extreme instances so I think it is unlikely and I think we need to be careful to not pick on the poor mean the poor. We're not paying the paying people because they are poor. We are supporting poor people who are going through a very difficult time difficult part point of their life and to superimpose

drek Conium reform on a class of people when there may be extreme instances where people have abused the system I think is patently unfair. But the very best way to protect that is to root out fraud and abuse because if you have people you know who are who are in the margins taking advantage of it. I mean no one wants poor people to be starving in the street. Absolutely. And so I think that if if people can feel confident that yes they're using this to buy food not to go to Foxwoods then I think they'll be a lot more support for it politically overall so than I have this one question. And here's the question what are they to do for cash. Cached at all period. Are they not supposed to have cash access cash for anything at all. And so if they're receiving resources from the Department of transitional assistance what are they now only able to use their card and we as we know you can use a card to carry everywhere you know so what are they supposed to do when they need to obtain resources another another means that's just what I hear.

What I do or what I hear you saying is that there has to be some demonstration because I wasn't aware Actually Marvin until you talk to me right now that there are instances where the card does not work. So I mean I don't think that the general public understands that and my question to Dorie is the button on this conversation would be at this particular time. Does something like this have more resonance that you're the person who has to think about how publicly resonates out here because a lot of people are hurting people who are working are hurting and they're looking over and it's not that they begrudge people poorer than them some support but they're like oh wait a minute. You know it better be for what you need it to be for her. Because I'm out here struggling. Yeah absolutely. In downward economic times when people are having to look at their own checkbook and make difficult choices you just don't want to feel like someone's getting a free ride I think I think that bothers anyone at any time. OK. All right well we've got another local story that I have to say that I'm going to have to you know get your good minds on because I had I'm trying to figure it out myself.

The House has passed a bill lifting item pricing requirements for supermarkets. I did not realize that Massachusetts apparently is the last state in the nation to go to scanners and require at this point every item has to have a tag on it to say what the price is but most pay places now have scanners where you you know scan the item and you see what it costs. A lot of people are saying this is an advancement. Others are saying particularly sponsors of the bill or others are saying well it limits comparison shopping because you can pick up box and box be right there on the moment I guess and look and see one instance and more in the other one isn't wondering Dory is this. A good time for this kind of bill and why why this is appears to be very important up in the legislature. Yeah I guess it's important if if this word is give you enough money right. I mean I guess interesting Massachusetts.

You know we're kind of a weird state politically as we all know we've got you know these these bizarre holdovers like requiring police officers to you know to do the utility details and things like that some of which are costly and inefficient and some people could argue that this is just another variation of it. You have to have you know a literal person you know sitting there and stamping you know 100 cans of peas or something like that. All that being said I actually think as a consumer that it's one of the it's one of the best things that we still have that you can actually look at it. I think if you. Adopt this legislation it requires scanners. Well OK great you know this you can just bring it up to the scanner. Well guess what in some of the larger supermarkets the scanners are going to be two and three aisles away. You are not going to carry that can of beans that far and in frankly just makes it easier for people to take advantage of you and and you know jerk up the prices are inaccurate things like that. And so I actually

think that from a consumer perspective that item pricing is important and I think even now that it's still required there are still too few companies that actually do it and there's lots of instances where I as a consumer walk in and it's not being enforced they're not practicing it. But I think they should crack down because the public needs to know. Good point that Kevin. Yeah well I agree with dory here I think that having those price tags on individual items are good particularly in for Again poor people who may not be quite into the use of technologies. Taking those scanners around and making poor price comparisons are two or three items I would imagine that over the years they would catch up but I think initially I think it would be a disadvantage to poor people who are not who are still hurt by the digital divide. And I also think it sort of works against the elderly in a certain way. They're way

off the grid in terms of using the busy digital divide and they don't quite sort of have the capacity physically. Some of them I would imagine to handle scanners either to the time that it would take to go back and forth to a scanner or to pick one up and lug one scanner through you know through their various aisles so I think that the price tag where you can sort of visit visit visually identify the prices of items in a very discrete part of the market where they sell crackers or where they sell milk they're all in the same area. So the visual look at those items. I think it's still a good thing and. Benefits the people of Massachusetts. So I'm against and I'm against messages jumping on the bandwagon on this one now. Now Marvin it's they have doubled the fines for noncompliance. So now I mean you know I used to be twenty five hundred dollars. It will be 5000 I mean that's a

considerable hit. If a store is not doing what it's supposed to be doing in terms of making those scanners available and and found out to be you know adding up prices when they shouldn't be. So do you think that's enough of a deterrent to make going away of line item pricing. OK. I mean I think it's a it's a start you know but I mean we're we always know that someone's going to always cut the corner. That's just how it goes I wanted to to actually raise a point. Kevin made the you know the scanners are not necessarily individual scanners where everyone will just carry a scanner around. If you go into a department if you go into a store like a target where they have certain locations where there are scanner and you have to take the item and carry it over. Well I was recently in New York I believe some time ago and when during that time you know there was. There was some some sort of product that was out that everyone was trying to get a hold of. And so you saw that there were lines next to the scanner just to get a price. So if you imagine that happening here we could end up where you

know it can end up being a challenge in a store on how to manage that sort of a case. But also let's go back to this talk about the family are they the mom and pop shops who might not necessarily be able to afford the scanner or be able to afford setting up the pricing so that you can get around their stores because I know there are some stores in particular some communities that the grocery stores local grocery stores that actually they're ALS don't have the space for a scanner to fit in because now you're asking for what is already clogged to be even more backed up as you're trying to get patrons going through just to you know purchase an item. So. Well I think it's going to be interesting because I did not know that this bill is moving through you know rather quickly so I guess more attention to it now will make consumers focus on what they lose and what they gain if if if they feel they gain something by having these scanners. I can tell you that it's not going to make me happy but who. I'm just one voter. You want to lay out a lot. I had a lot more

to talk about. Coming up with you guys. There's so much national stuff today to get to as well as one more big local one so I'm Cali Crosley We're talking politics with Dorie Clark of Clark Strategic Communications. Kevin Pietersen of UMass Boston and Marvin Benet of the Massachusetts black and Latino Democratic Legislative Caucus. You're listening to eighty nine point seven WGBH Boston Public Radio. The. WGBH programs exist because of you. And the Boston Pops led by Keith Lockhart and joined by star athletes as they celebrate the victories of Boston sports teams with a tribute to the 1 100th anniversary of Fenway Park May 23rd through the 25th.

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Come help kick it off at our antiques road show kick off party at WGBH as Brighton studios on Friday June 8 will have a live celebrity presence. Food and drink and a look back at some of the best moments from the series. It's the Antiques Road Show kick off party. Tickets are limited so reserve your spot today online at WGBH dot org slash antiques event. Great question has a great question and it's a great question. It's a great question. Rick great question on FRESH AIR feel hear unexpected questions and unexpected answers this afternoon at 2:00 here on eighty nine point seven. WGBH. Welcome back to the Calla Crossley Show. If you're just tuning in we're talking politics national and local with Dorie CLARK Kevin Pietersen and Marvin Benet Dorie Clark is president of Clark Strategic Communications. Kevin Peterson is founder of the New Democracy coalition which is based at UMass Boston. Marvin Benet is the

executive director of the Massachusetts black and Latino Democratic Legislative Caucus. So the Secure Communities Program has started in Massachusetts. People may remember that Governor Patrick was very firm in saying it wasn't coming here even though his political cohort President Obama had signed off on the program and it was instituted in other states. Deval Patrick is concerned about racial profiling which a lot of minority communities have expressed great fear about. He's also concerned about they're just stirring up fear in minority communities period. But it's here. There is no political It seems to be ramifications for Governor Patrick because you know he's not running again. But what will be the impact of the Secure Communities Program which a lot of people wanted to see in Massachusetts and disagreed with Deval Patrick's keeping it out prior to this

story. I think that the political ramifications are going to be negligible across the board. This is one of these programs that there's a lot of hue and cry about once it you know when people are considering bringing it in oh you know what's what's the ramification going to be and are people going to be frightened and are they going to not want to have good relationship with the police and things like this. But fundamentally what what the Secure Communities Act is about is about helping to ferret out people who are criminals. I don't really see that alternately that's going to be a long term issue I mean of course in immigrant communities there's already a lot of suspicion in some ways about the police I mean I live in East Somerville this is a Salvadorian community when they think government they don't think three one one in trash pick up they think Juntos and machetes. And so the police are not their best friends in general. All that being said I think that it's really hard over the long term for sensible people to to say oh no I don't want a program that will

identify criminals. I think Marvin that door is right in the sense that nobody is against a program that identifies criminals. The problem is you are the executive director of the Massachusetts black and Latino Democratic Legislative Caucus is that a lot of the members that you work with are well aware of racial profiling and avenues that might lead to it and that is a concern and that remains a concern I think the program is you know started somewhat quietly Are you imagining that there is going to be some instances down the road where in fact we see some examples of racial profiling. I believe there's a strong possibility we've had two two members particularly the come to mind at this moment who are racially profile you know and were actually. And in all instances of mining the law you know and I think that having happened to them personally and being able to identify it it makes it a lot easier for them to understand what their constituents are facing or potentially going to face with this act being passed

are being implemented in Massachusetts. They wanted things that you know I understand dories point but what I what I would also caution is to say is that you know nine times out of 10 sometimes you are just minding your business and you end up in a situation that you had no idea you would have because you frankly thought you were just being a citizen walking down the street or driving your vehicle. Had you no no problems with registration no problems would you tell I see no problems whatsoever. But an officer decided to look at you and conspicuously and then pulled you over. And then the challenge becomes the harassment and so forth. You know and it goes on and there's a lot of cases that occur like that and I think in this instance what we're saying what is being said here is that you know now you're running the risk of looking at people in suspecting that they are actually classified as immigrants when they're potentially either not or they potentially committed a crime that they possibly nine times and maybe have not or they have been a part of something

that is much larger. And if you see one group that has a con has committed a crime in one area anyone who identifies with them are going to become suspects. And that's typically what happens. I just want to be clear did you mean legal immigrants when you say that some people are correct. I'm talking purely right standpoint yes. So. So Kevin last word on this. How does it get balanced and what will be the impact of Secure Communities. Well I think in Iran ironically this is a piece of legislation that the governor was for before he was against it if you will recall. But I agree where where he is now I think this piece of legislation will have a profound impact upon minority communities particularly in the lead to make even if only for the psychological impact of racial profiling so you know a person driving down the street for example who is of Latino descent maybe illegal may be here legally may have been born here is a citizen. But under the aegis of this legislation

I would imagine that he feels or she would feel the pressure of this law being pulled over of being stopped maybe because she or he ran a red light. But then feeling the additional pressure or or or. If not pressure the duress of the federal government running the background check just because he or she is a Latino to the sin. As I go through Brooklyn for example I feel the psychological duress of racial profiling I know that I haven't done anything I haven't run a red light but racial profiling exists. You know the law sort of beckons profound fear I think among some particular within the Latino community community around the psychological impact that this might have on the whole community. This connects back to the seat belt law. You know on the right and the challenge with that is that you know when they were trying to implement that with the hopes that you

know if we could now look at the seatbelt and say if you don't have it on we're now going to pull you over. And so nine times that it's those who are being targeted are those who normally don't wear it which are minority communities. And so that's an easy attack on a community that is already challenged. And so when you talk about the psychological aspect now you're wondering whether or not they're going to actually pull pull me out the car. Whether or not I'm going to be physically abused her and so forth I mean it goes on to you know there's a whole host that goes with a door is right on principle and I am where she is just in terms of. The attempt to weed out those illegal in underage immigrants. There may be and I'm not sure what it is but there may be another way to do that. Well not not at the moment because a lot of states of put this in place and now Massachusetts has joined them and so we'll just keep an eye on that. All right moving on this week in rising star returning to the national scene now a rising star knew it. Newark

Mayor Cory Booker he's really considered a rising star in the Democratic Party. Some say put his foot in it. On Meet the Press when he commented on some campaign practices that were coming up that or he had some were discussing should be put in place specifically addressing the latest President Obama ad or the ad supporting President Obama which focused on Mitt Romney's corporate past and his time at Bain and specifically around equity and whether or not the way that he increased equity was fair to all blah blah blah. So let's listen to a piece of what Mayor. Newark Mayor Cory Booker said on Meet the Press this past Sunday. This kind of stuff is nauseated to me on both sides. It's nauseating to the American public. Enough is enough. Stop attacking private equity stop attacking Jeremiah

Wright this stuff has got to stop because what it does is it undermines to me what this country should be focused on it's a distraction from the real issues. All right so dory right after that he got jumped on because he's considered as a surrogate for President Obama by a lot of President Obama's supporters saying what are you talking about comparing the super PAC that had said that they may bring up Jeremiah Wright and make that a campaign issue for President Obama to the ad that another super PAC was putting out in support of President Obama and questioning. Mitt Romney's relationship with the equity and Bain Bain Capital in specific and he has since backpedaled a little bit to say listen my comments got taken out of context in this way. I was complaining about practices I think are just you know as he said Make You mean making me nauseated but I wasn't saying that it wasn't fair to question Mitt

Romney's corporate past but I just want to talk about how we're doing it. You're the person that you're the person that often candidates turn to to position themselves in a way that makes their policies clear. What happened here with Cory Booker and what is the impact. Well I think that Cory Booker's mistake unfortunately is that when you're being put out as a campaign surrogate when you're essentially out there with the role of having to defend the president you really shouldn't criticize the president. That's the biggest thing of course they're going to jump on it because it's a good story it's a man bites dog story oh look the guy who's supposed to be praising Obama is actually saying that he's doing something pretty bad. And that's that's a challenge especially for somebody like Cory Booker who. Himself has been in the spotlight so much I mean the guy you know he's a young guy he's already had two documentary films made about him. And you know he's always mentioned as you said is a rising star. And so he's been the focus. And it's hard to sort of switch to a supporting role where you have to kind of be a yes man and toe the party

line. That's a difficult transition and he clearly stepped in it a little bit in this occasion. I think however his broader point is a good one. I think that if you go back here in Massachusetts to 1994 when Mitt Romney was first running against Ted Kennedy the line of attack started oh oh Mitt Romney's a corporate raider he cuts people's jobs isn't it terrible. And it worked in 94 Obviously Ted Kennedy won reelection but they tried it again unsuccessfully in 2002 I was a part of that effort in fact in 2002. But I actually think it doesn't work not because it's necessarily despicable I mean you take what you got right with somebody's record. If you're if you're their opponent you want to try to use it against them however you again. But that being said criticizing private equity criticizing what Mitt Romney did saying that he's this fat cat and trying to you know take an Occupy Wall Street ask oh we're the 99 percent against this evil guy. I just don't think it's convincing I think that

Americans don't really respond to that. Before the rest of you comment let me just add that since he made his comments those opposing President Obama have pulled together an ad which includes what he said on Meet the Press includes a couple of other well-known Democratic supporters saying essentially the same thing that listen don't you know private equity don't attack private equity that works. You can you can criticize the way it was maybe used in Mitt Romney or his record on job creation but equity itself is a part of the American dream and capitalism and blah blah blah so that's an unfair criticism. So the ad that ad is called I stand with Cory Booker and needless to say Cory Booker is very unhappy about this. Kevin Pietersen. Yeah well I agree I disagree with. Dura Here's a classic example of a partisan person trying to be nonpartisan and it really he really stepped in it when when

he when he went in the direction and it was so it was so interesting to watch this whole thing play out because then there were a number of tweets after his appearance on the Sunday news show and then there was the YouTube. Did you see my apology. And then there was the Rachel Maddow Show last night where he said he's trying to back up any more. He you know the interesting thing he's never quite apologized he's never used the word capital a word in this and this situation which is interesting to me I mean it makes me wonder whether he wants to remain. Well you want to stick with that position quite frankly. So it will be interesting to see how long the mayor of Newark remains a an essential part of the Barack Obama election campaign. Re-elect Marvin before you come out it should be noted that President Obama was asked about it and he said he stands firm in supporting his ad and that the focus is really

on Romney's record as a job creator and that his saying that he you know increased private equity is not the point. But so that you know in the real world of being a president according to President Obama you have to raise the bar for everybody and not just some who are wealthy. I want to say this before you comment. One of the reasons that Cory Booker would be one who wanted to support private equity is that he's in New York and he has benefited from his own using his own social capital to bring private equity to Newark to improve the situation and he's done a good job. I mean what are you going to give him 100 million dollars from Facebook right. Well you can have it. At the end of the day you know this is a strong lesson for everyone to know the value of staying in your lane. You know ultimately he had a responsibility when he went on Meet the Press and that responsibility was to be a Sergant for President Obama and his views were not necessarily what was being requested of him that in that instance. And I think that if he essentially held those views

to his vest at a later time they could have become more useful to him. I think if he would have stayed along the lines when it really when it was related about Reverend Jeremiah Wright I think he was right on because that was an individual who I believe he supports himself overall and so he had a personal connection to that case I think in this and his bank case we know that this has been a touting comment that has been going throughout this campaign from the very beginning and it will continue to to the very end. And so I think he stepped in some Muddy Waters and he tried to backtrack as best as possible but the unfortunate part now according to the video that you've seen I stick with Cory Booker. It's very important for him to have learned the value of staying in the lane that you are supposed to be in. And that's been the Sergant for President Barack Obama. And I'm taking your point and we're staying in our own line and continuing this conversation. I'm Cally Crossley we're talking local and national politics with Dorie Clark and Kevin

Pietersen in Marvin Benet. The conversation continues on an eighty nine point seven WGBH Boston Public Radio. This program is made possible thanks to you and Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Continuing Education registering for summer classes drawing photography graphic design fashion and more programs for youth and adults mass art edu. And Bank of America. We know WGBH is important to our customers. Bob gallery Massachusetts President Bank of America our commitment to Boston is a strong now as it's ever been in our commitment to WGBH is as strong now as it's ever been and I think that matters to our clients and to our associates. We look forward to working with WGBH for many years. To learn more visit WGBH dot org slash sponsorship. And Memphis San wrong this fall on the next FRESH AIR David Alan

Grier He's nominated for a Tony for his performance as Sporting Life in which he and Bess Grier first became known for his work on the sketch comedy show In Living Color. Join us. To turn. Slowly to this afternoon at 2:00 here on eighty nine point seven. K. let's see. Oh my I. This summer will turn to public radio to keep up with the Summer Olympics the presidential election or summer reading list of awesome Red Sox big summer movies with computer created ailing in these battles and creature help eighty nine point seven get to the stories you care about and give a little bit more in support of a lot more coverage. Go above and beyond with an additional gift just click the donate button at WGBH dot org. Welcome back to the Calla Crossley Show. If you're just tuning in we're talking politics with Dorie CLARK

Kevin Pietersen and Marvin Benet Dorie Clark is president of Clark Strategic Communications. Kevin Pietersen is founder of the New Democracy coalition which is based at UMass Boston. And Marvin Benet is the executive director of the Massachusetts black and Latino Democratic Legislative Caucus. Let me jump right into another national story that maybe is not getting as much attention as I thought it would and I'm a little bit disappointed and that's the Americans elect a third party movement. The Americans Elect organization which was well funded and had a lot of stars big name political types across. Both parties across the idealogy ideological spectrum announced that they couldn't come up with a candidate even though they had managed to get on all the ballots. A lot of people are viewing this as really the the end or a significant blow to a third party movement because it just didn't get off the ground. Then how do you explain anything else before we you all way and I want you to listen to Republican

strategist Mark McKinnon. He was an adviser to Americans Elect and he joined me on my show last December to talk about the promise of this democratic experience. I think the most attractive part of it in this current environment is that it has to be a unity ticket. In other words the ballot nominees for Americans Elect will be a by by rule a Republican and a Democrat or Republican an Independent or an Independent Democrat. And that's what I think voters are really going to respond to is the idea that there is that this is a platform that forces the parties to work together because they realize that's the only way that we can solve the problems that we've got. American voters look at the problems in Washington and say the answer seemed pretty obvious. And yet for partisan reasons the system has become paralyzed. So Kevin Pietersen you of the New Democracy coalition. It seemed a time that was ripe for interest in a third party candidate and this particular organisation was really well organized and well funded.

Are you surprised that it sort of died like this. Yes surprised and in some ways not surprised. You know a very laudable attempt I feel to really try to impact American democracy. And a more substantial way into to break the partisan gridlock this there. So I I'm sad to see and hear that it's ended this way although I think it's a it's a very good idea that should remain a focal point as we move past the 2012 elections. I think we I think there's going to be a small percentage of voters who are going to turn this election those swing voters. 5 10 percent of the voters in total Dori probably would have a better calibration than that. Just a minor number of of people who tweeted the election without

the input of or the even the development of the the the Democratic you know the vast part of the Democratic Party and a vast part of the Republican Party. So I think this was a good idea to bring the two parties together and to find some consensus on national policy in a very variety of venues and a set. To see this go down in smoke so to speak. But it was a very valiant effort and I think that we should come back to it in years to come. Dorri what they did that I thought was clever and important. They got space on the ballots first before they really tried to solicit potential candidates to run. But what was sad about this is when all was said and done is that they couldn't get a candidate to clear. $10000 to some Sorry vote threshold to win the nomination.

That's not a very high number so that for all of the talk about the partisanship and wanting something else and to Kevin's point about Independents being disgusted why I don't get why this didn't just get more energy. Yeah you know unfortunately a two party system is baked into our political DNA for you know for the past 200 plus years. It's how America is operated. I think that for a lot of people who are dissatisfied with the Republican and Democratic parties we think oh you know wouldn't it be great if there was a third party or you know couldn't couldn't we make some approximation of a you know a parliamentary system like they have in Europe so that we could each you know vote for greens or our you know whatever. But it's just not how the American system is is set up. And I think that consequently there's a high bar of skepticism. I mean Americans Elect was very smart and you know hats off to them because they had a thesis in their thesis was OK if we can clear the organizational hurdles if we can actually you know make sure that there's a place on the ballot maybe this magic thing will happen and a person will emerge but. It

didn't happen. I think that one other factor that is shaping it as well is the fact that Romney in Obama now if you're partisan you're probably not going to you're not going to accept this but they're fairly moderate in the scheme of things. I mean if the if the nominees were Dennis Q Senate vs. Rick Santorum then there might have been a lot more clamoring for some kind of a centrist candidate. But based on the polls of where Republicans and Democrats are you know Romney and Obama are much more in the middle and so I think it's harder to get the mojo behind some other person. What do you think Marvet. I don't think the country is prepared for a third party quite the same I mean we talked about the fact that the in the independent voter actually makes up a majority of the registered voters but yet and still they don't have enough political muscle to shift gears as a relates to adopting a third party I mean we've had Third we have a tons of third parties if you go through the history. The unfortunate part of that I have to agree with not unfortunate but I would have to agree with dory that you

know at this point you know America is not going to move in towards that direction and where we are happy where we are currently. No one's too too far right no one's too far left. You know and they have a you have a solid position so in order for us to get there we would have to be really looking to change the entire spectrum of politics and not just in the presidential seat. But you're talking about Congress as well and that's where you things start to get a little sticky. Yeah I agree with Gloria I think that a two party system is baked into the process but I think historically third parties and they've come along and they've But they've had Yeah they've done it but they keep going. But they've had they've had at times very influential impact on the existing parties. You think about the rich new Republican Party having a impact on the Whig party during Lincoln's day it changed the Republican Party in a very dramatic way. You think about

Ross Perot's impact on the The New Democrat and Bill Clinton. I think that's in the Democratic Party in a different trajectory in a Conservative majority. If you think about what happened in 2010 with the with the conservative right wing party impacting the Republican Party to the greed that is even more conservative now. So I think. We may not get a standing third party but I think these movements rise from time to time and I think the party is what the Tea Party that's what I meant. The 2002 so I think that there are already two and they're influencers and I think that's what influence stands at one point it doesn't move it doesn't move mountains and what we're looking here in this American Lex. they're looking to move mountains looking to make a transitional plan that we're not we're not I think you're right I think I think that was the goal but I think because you know the two party system in this country is fairly static that we should encourage American elected I think it goes back to what what Dorie Clark is good at marketing.

Because if they're not if they're not speaking to from a grassroots perspective to all communities and they're not going to be able to drum to be to get what their goals are. All right you're listening to a $9.7 GBH and online at WGBH dot org we're going over local and national politics. I'm joined by Dori Clark president of Clark Strategic Communications. Kevin Pietersen founder of the New Democracy coalition and Marvin Benet the executive director of the Massachusetts black and Latino Democratic Legislative Caucus. So we can end this conversation without going back to Elizabeth Warren and the kerfuffle around her Native American ancestry. A couple things One one reason we can't end it is because Scott Brown isn't going to be in the conversation he's pumping it up as much as he can and asking for that she release her personnel records from Harvard and you pin to see if any way she use information about her being Native American to gain employment she's denied that.

You know I was hired based on what I had done academically and not any other reason. Added to that is that the Franco who is still in the running for the Democratic nomination. People keep thinking Elizabeth Warren is it she's not. Marisa de Franco is very much a candidate and she came out with a comment. This not long ago last week saying to be a minority you have to look like a minority. She too is saying release the records. Dorie Clark I thought this was going to go away I actually did so I guess I'm just wrong. How would you place this in terms of what's going to happen now. Will Elizabeth Warren be forced to release her records she says she's not going to. Yeah I if I had to guess and you know I have absolutely no personal knowledge of this but if I had to guess there's probably a smoking gun in there. And the reason is that they so desperately want this to end. And if there was a way they could have ended it by showing documentation they would have. I think it's a terrible situation. I mean when you start out with a candidate the very first thing you do even

before they announce is you sit down you do an audit you do an inventory of them and you say OK is there anything we should know is there anything we need to prepare for. Have you been arrested have you had extramarital affairs do you have financial improprieties. And I am absolutely sure that Elizabeth Warren's advisers went through all the lists you know all the standard list. And this would never in a million years occur to them. I mean they give American it's so out of left field but unfortunately Scott Brown has been very successful in his messaging turning it into an issue that you know it's not about race. It's about truthfulness. It's about it's about what you are how you're presenting yourself are you trying to game the system a little bit. And that that's something that is very damaging because people don't want a candidate that they view as a little bit sneaky. All right so Kevin The issue is did she game the system to gain advantage by virtue of a Native American ancestry there's no evidence of that. I should say that both Harvard and you pin our little bit on the hot seat as well because there are

policy both of both of those institutions announced her ancestry. It's not clear that she gave it to them or support of their doing that but there you have it. Kevin Pietersen. Yeah. It is not clear whether she gamed the system or not I mean I think that the truth will come out in the end against whether she's. She is or she isn't. I think she would be playing politics smartly if she came out and told the truth whatever the truth is. But to let this story go on for three weeks I mean it's developed a real footprint. To the advantage of Senator Brown and for her to go into her nominating convention in two weeks with this go over her head I think is is a major problem for her. I think she would do well to come out early we're still fairly early in the game. Summer hasn't started where people will forget about this. You know come back to this race after Labor Day. She should tell the truth whatever the truth is about her answer. I do want to disagree

with the candidate to Franco a little bit who says that you got to look like a minority you know if you're considered one. I think there are and I think that's patently wrong I can think of a number of Indians for example who don't necessary Look who are not necessarily brown skinned and may be easily construed or see or perceived as being. Caucasian. Well yes it had to look like a so-called minority in order to be what you know. Let's point out to how many black people do we know that you passed them right. Anyway that's an interesting scenario. Will this hurt her in the end. Marvin if she doesn't release the personnel records I think it will hurt her if she ignores it. I think the opportunity exists for her to put a stamp on it and close the door and she could proceed ahead this is a similar thing that happened with between President Obama and Donald Trump. You know and despite the fact that you know the proof was there Donald Trump just kept raving and raving and raving I think was a birthing issue about whether or not he was actually correct Merican.

I think what I think in this case Scott Brown senator Scott Brown has found a way to deflect. The American people to start to focus on this small to small issue instead of really dealing with the issues of the campaign and I think this she needs to put a stamp on it and close the deal. All right well we'll leave it there right now and say if that happens. Thank you all we've been talking politics with Dorie Clark president of Clark's Strategic Communications. Kevin Pietersen founder of the New Democracy coalition which is based at UMass Boston. And Marvin Benet executive director of the Massachusetts black and Latino Democratic Legislative Caucus. Thanks all. You can keep on top of the Calla Crossley Show at WGBH dot org slash Calla Crossley follow us on Twitter or become a fan of the Kalak Rossley show on Facebook today show was engineered by Jane pipping produced by Chelsea Merz will Rose live and Abbey Ruzicka. We're a production of WGBH Boston Public Radio.