Woman Thought Leader: Danielle Belton

FOUNDATION, AND THE CHARLES A. FRUEAUFF FOUNDATION.

>> Bonnie: HELLO AND WELCOME TO "TO THE CONTRARY".

I AM A BONNIE ERBE.

THIS WEEK, OUR WOMEN THOUGHT LEADER IS DAIELLE BELTON.

SHE'S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AT THE ROOT AND FORMER REGULAR TO THE CONTRARY PANELIST.

OF COURSE, NOT IN THAT ORDER.

ANYWAY, DANIELLE, VERY GOOD TO SEE YOU.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> Danielle Belton: AM EXCELLENT!

SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!

>> Bonnie: AND YOU ARE NOW LIVING UP IN NEW YORK CITY.

WE SAW YOU REGULARLY WHEN YOU ARE DOWN HERE AND COMMUTING I THINK TO ST. LOUIS OR SOMETHING, RIGHT?

>> Danielle Belton: MY HOMETOWN IS ST. LOUIS.

I WOULD GO HOME TWICE A YEAR TO SEE MY FAMILY.

>> Bonnie: GOT YOU.

OKAY.

SO FIRST LET'S TALK ABOUT YOU AND THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ROOT AND COVID AND SOME OTHER THINGS, OF COURSE.

>> Danielle Belton: OF COURSE.

>> Bonnie: BUT ABOUT YOU, TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER HISTORY AND WHAT EXACTLY IS THE BLACK SNOB?

HOW DID YOU END UP WHERE YOU ARE NOW?

>> Danielle Belton: OH, SURE!

AND ORIGINALLY, I WAS A NEWSPAPER REPORTER AND I WORKED FOR SEVERAL SMALL TOWN PAPERS INCLUDING THE MIDLAND REPORTER TELEGRAM AND THE BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA AND POINTED I WAS THE FIRST BLOGGER AT THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN IN 2004.

THAT PUT AN IDEA IN MY HEAD THAT, OH, YOU KNOW, IF I EVER WANTED TO START MY OWN THING, I COULD PROBABLY DO IT.

AND SO, IN 2007, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I DID, I STARTED MY OWN BLOG CALLED THE BLACK SNOB AND IT WAS A POP CULTURE AND POLITICS BLOG.

IT WAS REALLY FUNNY.

IT BLEW UP REALLY FAST, BECAUSE I STARTED IT IN LATE 2007.Y 2008, I WROTE ABOUT WHEN THEN SENATOR OBAMA WHO WOULD BECOME PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD JUST WON IOWA AND THE BLOCK TOOK OFF FROM THERE.

AND I JUST, EVERY JOB I HAVE GOTTEN SINCE THAT BLOG HAS BEEN BECAUSE OF THAT BLOG.

I WORKED IN TELEVISION FOR A LITTLE WHILE WHERE I WAS HAD WRITER FOR A LATE-NIGHT TALK SHOW CALLED DON'T SLEEP THAT WAS HOSTED BY TJ HOLMES.

I DID A LOT OF SATIRICAL WRITING AS WELL APPEAR IT AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE KIND OF BOUNCED AROUND IN THE WORLD OF MEDIA.

NOW I MET THE ROOT.

I A LOVE IT.

I HAVE BEEN WITH THE ROOT 'S 2015 AND I WAS PROMOTED TO LEAVE THE ROOT IN 20 1600 IN THE SHORT-TERM THAT I WAS THERE, I MANAGED TO GROW THE SITE BY OVER 300 PERCENT.

AND A LOT OF IT WAS BASED ON THE SAME IDEALS THAT I HAD FROM THE BLACK SNOB ON HOW TO APPROACH NEWS AND HOW TO REACH PEOPLE.

>> Bonnie: WELL, TELL ME THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE BLACK SNOB.

I MEAN, THAT DOESN'T --I KNOW YOU ARE A COMEDIAN, BUT AT FIRST BLUSH, IT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE A COMPLIMENT, RIGHT?

>> Danielle Belton: OF COURSE!

SO THE NAME WAS A BIT OF A JOKE PERIODS WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW MY BACKGROUND OR WHERE I WAS FROM.

AND SO, I REMEMBER I WAS IN A CAR ONCE.

MY FRIENDS HAD CARS!

I DID NOT HAVE A CAR WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE AND I WAS ALWAYS FORGETTING TO LOCK THE CAR DOOR.

LIKE, EVERY TIME I WOULD FORGET TO LOCK THE CAR DOOR AND MY FRIENDS WOULD YELL AT ME, THEY WOULD BE REALLY ANGRY, LIKE SOMEONE COULD STEAL A CAR, DANIELLE, HOW WOULD YOU BE SO CARELESS?

WHEN DID THEY WERE YELLING AT ME AND FINALLY I YELLED BACK, OH, MY GOD, THE ONLY REASON I DON'T KNOW TO LOCK YOUR CAR IS BECAUSE OF NEVER RIDDEN IN A CAR THAT DID NOT HAVE AUTOMATIC LOCKS.

AND, LIKE, YOU CAN SAY STUFF LIKE THAT TO PEOPLE BECAUSE THEIR RESPONSE WAS LIKE, OH, MY GOD, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, YOU SNOB?

THAT'S WHERE THE NAME CAME FROM.

I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY FUNNY.

WHAT WAS INTERESTING WAS ACTUAL SNOBS, LIKE, JUST LOVED THE NAME.

THEY LOVED IT.

THEY WERE LIKE RECLAIMING THE WORD SNOB, THEY WOULD BUY ALL MY BLACK SNOB MARCH AND WOULD PROUDLY SAY THAT THEY WERE US NOW.

IT WAS ALARIS.

IT WAS A REALLY FUN TIME.

>> Bonnie: AND YOU DID NOT GET ACCUSED BY WHATEVER THE OPPOSITE OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE BY NOT BEING AUTHENTICALLY BLACK?

>> Danielle Belton: NO, NO.

>> Bonnie: YOUR RICH BLACK PERSON AND AN AUTHENTIC BLACK PERSON AT THE SAME TIME.> Danielle Belton: WELL, THE REALITY IS, NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE, YOU CAN'T REALLY ESCAPE THE BLACK EXPERIENCE.

SO IT'S STILL A BLACK EXPERIENCE, WHETHER YOU COME FROM A COMFORTABLE BACKGROUND OR YOU DON'T PERIODS SO YOU STILL EXPERIENCE A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS!

IT'S JUST SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.

>> Bonnie: NOW, HOW HAS THE ROOT BECOME THE BLACK CULTURE?

DO YOU FIND STORIES THAT YOU DO MIMICKED BY CULTURE OR THE OTHER WAY AROUND?

IN OTHER WORDS, DO YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THE LEAD SOMETIMES CREATING TRENDS AS OPPOSED TO REPORTING ON THEM?

>> Danielle Belton: I FIND THAT A LOT OF THE MEDIA CRITICISM AND CULTURAL CRITICISM THAT WE DO AT TRAINING IS REPLICATED BY A LOT OF OUR, A LOT OF THE MAINSTREAM PRESS AND OUR COMPETITORS.

WE'VE MANAGED TO BE A LEADER IN OUR SPACE.

WE DO EVERYTHING FROM OPINION WRITING TO INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING TO JUST THE DAY-TO-DAY OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD.

AND THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE.

LIKE, WE HAVE A REALLY CATALOG, WE HAVE A REALLY BIG FIGHTERS AT THE ROOT.

YOU KNOW, IF WE BELIEVE IN SOMETHING, WE STAYED WITH OUR CHEST.

WE ARE BOLD AND VIBRANT AND BRIGHT AND WE HAVE THE MOST AMAZINGLY TALENTED STAFF.

THEY ARE SO FUNNY AND SO SMART AND THEY CALL IT EVERY DAY.

>> Bonnie: THAT'S TERRIFIC!

NOW, LET'S SWITCH FOR A LITTLE BIT ANYWAY TO AFRICAN AMERICANS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THE COVID-19 VIRUS.

OF COURSE, PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE BEEN MORE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY THE VIRUS THAN HAVE WHITE PEOPLE, AND THERE WAS A STUDY THAT CAME OUT RECENTLY THAT SHOWED THERE IS A DEADLY TOLL ON BLACK LIVES AND ANOTHER SURVEY SHOWS THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE 60 PERCENT OF DEATHS.

WHY?

>> Danielle Belton: WELL, THE REALITY IS IS THAT THERE ARE ALL THESE HISTORIC INEQUITIES THAT HAVE EXISTED BETWEEN BLACK PEOPLE AND WHITE PEOPLE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE THESE INEQUITIES, YOU'RE JUST GOING TO GET HIT HARDER BY ANYTHING THAT'S DETRIMENTAL TO THE COUNTRY.

SO, IF, LIKE, IF UNEMPLOYMENT IS THAT ACROSS THE BOARD FOR BLACK PEOPLE, IT'S OFTEN DOUBLE APPEARED IF THERE ARE ISSUES WITH AMERICANS WHO DON'T KNOW GEOGRAPHY OR STRUGGLE WITH ENGLISH, LIKE THERE'S A HUGE PROBLEMS OF DISCREPANCIES WITH PROPERTY -- EDUCATION AND GAPS BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS.

SO IT'S NOT SHOCKING WHEN YOU ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT IT, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT BLACK PEOPLE OFTEN HAVE LESS ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, WHEN THEY DO HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE THEY DEAL WITH OFTEN RACISM FROM THE DOCTORS WHO -- WE HAVE WRITTEN SO MANY STORIES AT THE ROOT ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE CANNOT GET TESTED FOR COVID-19 NO MATTER WHAT THEY DID AND ENDED UP SUCCUMBING AND DYING FROM THE DISEASE.

THEIR FAMILY, YOU KNOW, ARE SO UPSET AND REALLY PUSHING FOR, LIKE, WHY IS IT THAT WHEN WE GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND THEN WE ARE SICK WE ARE NOT LISTENED TO?

YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO ESSENTIALLY, LIKE, BAG AND FIGHT AND PLEADED TO GET TESTING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A HUGE PROBLEM AS WELL.

AND THEN THE FACT THAT TESTING IS NOT WIDESPREAD, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS THERE.

AND THEN THE FACT, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO AFFORD HEALTHCARE, HAVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, BEING ABLE TO KIND OF TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SYSTEM IN THAT WAY, WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT KIND OF ACCESS HISTORICALLY.

AND SO, THERE'S LOTS OF DISPARITIES.

AND SO, THAT'S REALLY WHERE IT COMES FROM.

NOW, THERE IS THE REALITY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY, OR A LITTLE BIT HESITANT AT TIMES TO SAY YES -- >> Bonnie: TUSKEGEE.

>> Danielle Belton: YES, BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE THE TUSKEGEE EXPERIMENT, OF THINGS ABOUT FORCE RELATION OF BLACK WOMEN.

THE PEOPLE ARE SUSPICIOUS FOR A REASON OF THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY.

WHEN YOU THINK OF STORES LIKE HENRIETTA LACKS WHERE HER CELLS WERE BASICALLY HARVESTED AND SHE AND HER ROYAL FAMILY DID NOT BENEFIT FROM IT ALL.

SO THERE WAS A HEALTHY FEAR THERE.

AND THEN WHEN YOU COMPOUNDED WITH THE FACT THAT BLACK WOMEN WHEN THEY ARE IN CHILD BIRTH, DOCTORS OFTEN DON'T LISTEN TO THEM WHEN THEY SAY THEY HAVE COMPETITIONS OR PAINS AND THERE'S A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF BLACK WOMEN WHO ACTUALLY DIE IN CHILDBIRTH, THE MORTALITY IS EXTREMELY HOT BAHA'I FOR WESTERNIZED COUNTRY.

IT AND SO, YEAH, TO ME IT'S REALLY ROOTED IN SYSTEMIC INEQUALITY IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> Bonnie: AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.

ONE OF MY FAVORITES, MY FAVORITE RELATIVELY NEW ON CAMERA COMEDIAN IS KENYA BARRIS AND BLACK AF ON NETFLIX.

OF COURSE, HE ALWAYS BLAMES EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD ON SLAVERY.> Danielle Belton: YEAH.

>> Bonnie: BUT SLAVERY, AT LEAST IN NAME, ENDED IN, YOU KNOW, 1863 WITH THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.

OF COURSE, THERE WAS JIM CROW AND ALL THAT STUFF FOR ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS UNTIL -- WHICH KEPT PEOPLE FROM BEING EDUCATED, FROM BEING ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THEIR WORDS AND SOCIETY, YOU KNOW, GET JOBS THAT PAY THEM EQUALLY.

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

NOW 100 AND HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, 155 YEARS LATER, WE HAVE HAD A BLACK PRESIDENT, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST AS IT WAS IN THE '60s, BLACK FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, YOU KNOW, YOU NAME IT, PRO SPORTS, TENNIS ATHLETES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, POWERFUL BLACK POLITICIANS, ALTHOUGH THERE'S ONLY STILL ONE IN THE SENATE, ONE PERSON, WHEN AFRICAN-AMERICAN ANYWAY.> Danielle Belton: WELL, THERE IS 2., LARISON CORY BOOKER.

>> Bonnie: SORRY, SORRY, SORRY.

I WAS THINKING OF THE SOUTH CAROLINIAN.

ANYWAY, BUT THINGS GENERALLY, AND IF I MAY SAY THIS IS A STUPID WHITE PERSON, IT'S ALMOST LIKE COOLER TO BE BLACK NOW THAN IT IS TO BE WHITE IN SOCIETY.

SO TO THE PEOPLE WHO SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW, YES, YES WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY MUCH BETTER THAN IT WAS PRE-OBAMA, ETC., ETC.

HOW MUCH DID LONGER DO YOU THINK THESE DISPARITIES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE?

>> Danielle Belton: AS LONG AS THERE SYSTEMIC RACISM IN THE SOCIETY, THESE DISPARITIES WILL CONTINUE, BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS WORKING EXACTLY THE WAY IT WAS INTENDED TO WORK FOR.

IT'S INTENDED WORK FOR WEALTHY WHITE PEOPLE.

IS NOT MEANT TO WORK FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.

AND SO, IT'S LIKE, YEAH, LIKE, PEOPLE HISTORICALLY IN AMERICA, AMERICANS, ESPECIALLY WHITE AMERICANS, HAVE ALWAYS LOVED BLACK CULTURE.

THEY LIVE MUSIC.

THEY LOVE HIP-HOP, THEY LOVE JAZZ, THEY LOVE ROCK 'N' ROLL WHICH WAS FOUNDED BY THE PIONEERS LIKE CHUCK BERRY AND BIG MAMA THORNTON, BUT THEY DON'T ACTUALLY LIKE BLACK PEOPLE.

LIKE, NO ONE ACTUALLY WANTS TO BE BLACK.

THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO BE COOL AND BE COOL ADJACENT TO THE CULTURE THAT BLACK PEOPLE CREATE.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE, OKAY, I'M BEING BRUTALIZED BY THE POLICE, I CAN'T VOTE IN THE SAME WAY OTHER PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO VOTE, AND I HAVE THE SAME ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION.

IT'S LIKE, WHOA, WHOA, SLAVERY WAS A LONG TIME AGO.

LIKE, WHERE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT THIS?

IT WASN'T LIKE, YOU KNOW, SLAVERY AND THEN THEY GIVE YOU EDUCATION AND THEY PAY YOU BACK FOR YOUR LOST WAGES AND THEN GIVE YOU THERAPISTS TO DEAL WITH THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA OF BEING CHANNEL.

LIKE, YOU ARE JUST TOSSED OUT IN THE WORLD AND TOLD TO FIGURE IT OUT.

SO YOU ARE AT SUCH A STATISTICAL DISADVANTAGE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU HAD TO START FROM 0.

IN EVERY GENERATION HAS HAD TO START FROM ZERO IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE OF JIM CROW AND SEGREGATION OR BECAUSE OF REDLINING WHICH HAPPENED ALL THROUGHOUT THE NORTH, IN NORTHERN CITIES WHERE IT WAS HARDER TO GET HOUSING FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND OTHER PEOPLE, TO JUST POLICE BRUTALITY.

I ALWAYS SAY THAT SO MUCH OF MY LIFE AND MY PARENTS' LIFE WAS ABOUT AVOIDING THE TRAP, AND THE TRAP IS THE ONE THAT'S SET FOR BLACK PEOPLE BECAUSE OF RACISM.

BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS NOT DESIGNED FOR YOU TO ACTUALLY FEEL IT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SUPPOSED TO WORK FOR BLACK PEOPLE.

YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO STAY POOR, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SAY SUBJUGATED AND USABLE STILL WORK LOW-WAGE JOBS, LOW-WAGE JOBS AND NOT HAVE THE SAME ACCESS TO THE SAME THINGS OTHER AMERICANS HAVE.

SO THE SYSTEM IS WORKING AS IT WAS DESIGNED.

AND SO, WHAT YOU -- >> Bonnie: WHEN YOU SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ANYBODY ELSE EXCEPT MAYBE MY HUSBAND, WHO I KNOW EXTREMELY WELL, BUT I DON'T HAVE THOSE EXPECTATIONS OF PEOPLE, OF NOT JUST AFRICAN-AMERICANS, BUT ANY PEOPLE OF COLOR.

>> Danielle Belton: WELL, IT'S NOT AN INDIVIDUAL PROBLEM, IT'S A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM.

SO THAT'S WHY YOU CAN HAVE A BLACK PRESIDENT BUT YOU STILL HAVE POLICE BRUTALITY AND OPPRESSION.

YOU KNOW, LIKE, IT WASN'T LIKE THAT UNDER OBAMA THAT SUDDENLY THERE WEREN'T ANY MORE INSTANCES OF POLICE BRUTALITY.

LIKE, THERE WERE PLENTY.

YOU KNOW, MIKE BROWN HAPPENED WHILE OBAMA WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, TRAYVON MARTIN HAPPENEDO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH STATE-SPONSORED VIOLENCE FROM THE POLICE AND WHO ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

SO IT'S LIKE JUST HAVING A HIGH-PROFILE PERSON OR HAVING A CELEBRITY OBTAIN DOESN'T OFFSET THE WAY THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN SET UP TO BASICALLY PUSH BLACK PEOPLE INTO SEGREGATED SPACES, INTO MASS INCARCERATION, INTO SYSTEMS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO FAIL THEM OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

>> Bonnie: I MEAN, LIKE, EVERY TIME -- YOU HAVE A GREAT POINT THERE AND THINK OF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE JOGGER WAS JUST MURDERED IN GEORGIA AND YOU THINK THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING THAT COULD'VE HAPPENED IN GEORGIA IN THE 1960S BUT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING, SHOULD NOT BE ON ANYBODY'S MIND ANYMORE.

IT'S LIKE SOMETHING, IT'S LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF HISTORY.

AND GET IT HAPPENED TODAY.

YOU THINK WE WILL EVER GET TO A POINT IN AMERICA WHERE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AREN'T HAPPENING?

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAPPEN TO WHITE PEOPLE, BUT WHERE THERE ISN'T A DISPARITY BETWEEN THE PERCENTAGE OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS, FOR EXAMPLE, KILLED BY WHITES VERSUS THE OTHER WAY AROUND?

>> Danielle Belton: YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO WORK AT IT AND IT CAN'T JUST BE BLACK PEOPLE BY THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE.

IT HAS TO BE BLACK AND WHITE PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THE CONSCIOUS DECISION THAT WE WANT TO CHANGE, HOW OUR SOCIETY WORKS, THAT WE WANT OUR SOCIETY TO BE MORE EQUITABLE AND FAIR, THAT WE WANT, YOU KNOW, A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR EVERYONE IN ORDER TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW FAR THEY CAN ACHIEVE.

THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WORK.

WE ARE NOT THERE YET.

I DON'T KNOW IF HE WILL MAKE IT THERE IN MY LIFETIME.

MY GOD, I HOPE SO.

LIKE, AND 42.

I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT BY THE TIME I AM MY FATHER'S AGE, HE IS 78, THAT I WOULD SEE A BETTER AND BRIGHTER AND MORE EQUITABLE WORLD.

I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ALL WORKING ON.

LIKE, AT THE ROOT, WE PUSH HARD TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND THEM AND INFORM THEM ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND THEM SO THEY CAN MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE IN THEIR LIFE.

SO IT'S LIKE ,IT'S GOING TO TAKE A FULL COURT PRESS.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE EVERYONE.

IT WILL TAKE YOU, ME, LITERALLY EVERYBODY TO CONSTANTLY WORK AT IT AS A NATION.

>> Bonnie: HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PRESIDENCY AND OF COURSE MICHELLE OBAMA, ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED WOMAN IN THE WORLD, PUSH IT FORWARD, AND HOW FAR HAS DONALD TRUMP PUSHED IT BACK?

>> Danielle Belton: WELL, IT'S INTERESTING.

LIKE, WHEN THE OBAMA'S WERE IN OFFICE, LIKE, THEY STILL FACED A LOT OF HATE AND RACISM FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE VERY UPSET THAT THE UNITED STATES HAD ELECTED THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESIDENT.

YOU KNOW, AND SO THERE WAS THIS TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK.

LIKE, THAT WAS THE BIG THING THAT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK FROM THESE LIBERALS, THESE AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO HAVE TAKEN OVER THE WHITE HOUSE.

AND IN SOME RESPECTS, THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY IS A RESPONSE TO THE OBAMA WHITE HOUSE.

WHAT IS SAD TO ME IS THIS IS LIKE A REALLY WEIRD RESPONSE, BECAUSE, LIKE, SAY WHAT YOU WILL ABOUT OBAMA.

IT WAS A SCANDAL-FREE PRESIDENCY.

HE LED WITH POISE AND GRACE AND HE WAS A COMPLETE DIPLOMAT.

AND HE NEVER EMBARRASSED US ON THE NATIONAL STAGE.

YOU KNOW, LIKE, SO YOU CAN ARGUE ABOUT HE DID NOT DO THIS, HE DID NOT DO THAT, LIKE COULD'VE DONE BETTER.

I HAVE ALMOST THE SAME CRITICISMS TOO.

BUT WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO IT, HE WAS A RELIABLE AND STABLE AND STEADY PRESIDENT.

AND THE COUNTRY GREW UNDER HIM.

AND SO, TO WATCH BASICALLY RACISM CORRUPT THE SYSTEM AND CAUSE OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT TO WANT TO DISMANTLE EVERYTHING OBAMA DID, WHETHER IT WAS GOOD OR NOT, IT'S LIKE, OH, OBAMA DID IT, IT'S BAD, GET RID OF IT.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT ACTUALLY HELPS PEOPLE OR MAKE THE SOCIETY BETTERIKE, THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE DISMANTLING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, WE ARE TRYING TO SNUFF IT OUT OR THE FACT THAT HE -- >> Bonnie: BUT THAT WAS, REMEMBER, REPUBLICANS WHO CONTROL BOTH CHAMBERS BACK THEN WERE TRYING TO THAT EVEN BEFORE HE LEFT OFFICE.

>> Danielle Belton: YES.

>> Bonnie: THAT HAS BEEN THE AGENDA SINCE -- AND THAT AFFECTS -- WHILE IT MAY AFFECT AFRICAN AMERICANS DISPROPORTIONATELY, ACTUALLY AFFECTS MORE WHITE PEOPLE JUST BECAUSE WHITE PEOPLE ARE TWO THIRDS OF THE COUNTRY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND 67 PERCENT, AND THEN AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE ABOUT 15, 20 PERCENT.

>> Danielle Belton: I THINK WE ARE ACTUALLY LIKE 13 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION.

>> Bonnie: OKAY.

13 PERCENT.

>> Danielle Belton: I THINK IT'S LOWER THAN THAT.

>> Bonnie: YEAH.

IT'S SOMETHING AVERAGE RECENTLY -- WELL, ANYWAY, BEYOND THE NUMBERS.

YES.

BUT STILL, THERE ARE MORE THAN ACTUAL NUMBERS.

THERE ARE MORE WHITE PEOPLE ON OBAMACARE GETTING KNOCKED OFF THEN PEOPLE OF COLOR, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MORE OF THEM.

>> Danielle Belton: YEAH!

EXACTLY.

AND SO, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE FACT THAT, LIKE, I REMEMBER WHEN TRUMP WAS FIRST ELECTED AND THEY WERE ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE SHOCK TO HAVE VOTED FOR TRUMP THAT HE ACTUALLY WENT AFTER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.

AND IT'S LIKE THAT'S WHAT HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO DO AND THEY WERE LIKE, WELL, YEAH, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS TALK ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

I DO NOT KNOW HE WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO TRY TO DISMANTLE EVERYTHING OBAMA CREATED, WHETHER IT WAS GOOD OR NOT.

AND THAT IS WHAT WAS WILD TO ME, THAT ALL THESE PEOPLE VOTED FOR TRUMP BASED ON THE IDEA OF WHO THEY THOUGHT TRUMP WAS AS OPPOSED TO THE WORDS THAT ACTUALLY CAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH AND THE THINGS THAT HE SAID.

THAT WAS SHOCKING TO ME.

BECAUSE HE MADE IT VERY CLEAR HE WAS GOING TO DISMANTLE OBAMA CARE, YOU KNOW, THAT HE WAS GOING TO DISMANTLE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.E MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT HE WAS GOING TO GO AFTER IMMIGRATION.ND SO, LIKE, THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE SHOCKED, THEY CONTINUE TO STILL BE SURPRISED WHEN RACIST POLICIES COME OUT OF THIS WHITE HOUSE, AND IT'S LIKE, HE TOLD YOU HE WAS GOING TO DO THIS!

YOU KNOW?

AND SO, YOU CAN BE SURPRISED.

IS LIKE, YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE FOUGHT AGAINST IT AND SHOULD HAVE PUSHED BACK MORE.

I WOULD NOT HAVE VOTED FOR THE MAN AND I DID NOT VOTE FOR THE MAN.

SO IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING FIRST TERM FOR THIS PRESIDENT AND I'M CURIOUS TO SEE HOW THIS ALL, YOU KNOW, TURNS OUT IN THE FALL.

>> Bonnie: YOU MENTIONED KAMALA HARRIS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT HER AS POTENTIAL VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AT THIS POINT.

I HAVE HEARD ARGUMENTS BETWEEN PENDANTS, WHITE AND BLACK PENDANTS.

IF SHE'S CHOSEN BY BIDEN, WHAT COULD SH -- COULD SHE GET THE BLACK COMMUNITY OUT FOR HIM ANYMORE THEN AFRICAN-AMERICANS WILL TURN OUT FOR HIM, BECAUSE HE WAS VICE PRESIDENT UNDER OBAMA?

>> Danielle Belton: YOU KNOW, I THINK KAMALA CAN ADD A LOT TO BIDEN'S CAMPAIGN.

I PERSONALLY PREFER STACEY ABRAMS, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT KAMALA IS A BIGGER NAME.

>> Bonnie: WHAT ABOUT VAL FROM FLORIDA?

>> Danielle Belton: VAL IS GREAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE KNOW KAMALA.

>> Bonnie: YEAH.

>> Danielle Belton: SHE RAN FOR PRESIDENT, SHE'S HIGH-PROFILE.

>> Bonnie: SHE DID.

BUT SO, DONNA EDWARDS, WHO'S A REGULAR PANELIST ON THE SHOW, FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN FROM MARYLAND AND A FRIEND, SHE AND OTHER AFRICAN-AMERICAN EXPERTS -- I MEAN, SHE IS OUT THERE IN THE HUSTINGS ALL THE TIME CAMPAIGNING FOR DEMOCRATS.

AND I'VE HURT HER TELL THAT KAMALA HARRIS IS NOT GOING TO PULL AFRICAN-AMERICANS BECAUSE SHE WAS A PROSECUTOR.

>> Danielle Belton: A PROSECUTOR.

>> Bonnie: IN CALIFORNIA AND SHE SENT A LOT OF BLACK PEOPLE TO PRISON.

>> Danielle Belton: YEAH.

THAT IS A REAL HURDLE THAT SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO GET OVER IT DURING THE ACTUAL RACE WHEN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY WAS STILL IN FULL SWING.

AND SO, THAT IS A PROBLEM WHEN IT COMES TO HER.

YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT SHE HAS A CIRCUIT AS A PROSECUTOR, THAT WAS REALLY TOUGH.

SHE WAS A TOUGH PROSECUTOR.

SHE IS NOT NECESSARILY SUPER POPULAR WITH BLACK PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA.

THAT'S WHY A LOT OF MY FRIENDS WHO ARE FROM CALIFORNIA WHO TELL ME ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT HER TEND TO BE MUCH MORE AMBIVALENT AND LESS ENTHUSIASTIC.

BUT -- >> Bonnie: THAT'S WHY ASK, FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO THE BIG-NAME POSSIBILITIES WHO BIDEN IS TALKING ABOUT, BUT BOTH OF WHOM HAVE DIFFERENT KIND OF FLAWS IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE DEAL IN THE PRIMARIES IS YOU GO TO THE EXTREMES OF YOUR PARTY IN THE DEMOCRATS, AND IT'S THE LEFT-WING.

AND THEN, AFTER THE PRIMARIES AND THE GENERAL ELECTION, YOU TRY TO GO TOWARDS THE MIDDLE, AND STACEY ABRAMS IS NOT NECESSARILY THE GREATEST CANDIDATE WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING TO GET BACK TO THE MIDDLE.

BUT SOMEBODY LIKE A VAL DEMINGS OR NOT AFRICAN-AMERICAN BUT LATINA, GOVERNOR LAMONT GRESHAM OF NEW MEXICO, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY ARE LESS TALKED ABOUT, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE FLAWS THAT THE TWO FRONT RUNNERS FOR THIS JOB, IF YOU WILL, HAVE A GREAT AND VAL DEMINGS IS ABOUT AS AUTHENTIC AS YOU CAN GET.

WE INTERVIEWED HER A FEW WEEKS AGO.

AND, I MEAN, SHE WAS A POLICE CHIEF, BUT SHE TOOK CARE OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN ORLANDO AND, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

SO WHY NOT A LESSER-KNOWN NAME LIKE THAT?

>> Danielle Belton: YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE ALL FOR IT IF BIDEN TOOK A RISK IN THAT PARTICULAR PASSIVITY.

TO ME, IT'S NOT REALLY A RISK.

LIKE, THE REALITY IS AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE TIRED OF THIS PRESIDENTE DID NOT VOTE FOR HIM IN MASS.

WE DO NOT.

LIKE, BLACK WOMEN, IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE 96 PERCENT.

>> Bonnie: 90 PERCENT OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

>> Danielle Belton: OVER 90 PERCENT OF BLACK WOMEN, YOU KNOW, VOTED FOR HILLARY.

SO IT'S LIKE WE CAN'T STAND ANOTHER FOUR YEARS OF THIS.

LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE AS A PEOPLE COULD TAKE ANY MORE OF THESE TERRIBLE POLICIES AND JUST THE NEGLECT.

LIKE, HE'S ACTUALLY A REALLY, YOU KNOW, NOT VERY PRESENT PRESIDENT.

NO, HE BARELY WORKS.

WHEN HE DOES, IT'S JUST REALLY ABOUT GETTING CAMERA TIME AND, LIKE, BECAUSE HE THINKS HE STILL FILLING ITS REALITY SHOW.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.

>> Bonnie: OR, QUITE FRANKLY, SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WATCHING PEOPLE ON TELEVISION.

>> Danielle Belton: GAS, WATCHING SHOWS AND THEN RAGED TWEETING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CUOMO AND WHO HE SEES ON TELEVISION AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT HIM.

AND SO, BLACK PEOPLE ARE PRETTY MOTIVATED TO VOTE FOR WHOMEVER IS NOT TRUMP.

SO ALL BIDEN HAS TO DO IS NOT SCREW THIS UP.

LIKE, HE JUST NEEDS TO PICK SOMEONE WHO IS SMART AND WON'T FALL DOWN FLAT ON THEIR FACE WHEN THEY WALK OUT AND START TALKING.

LIKE, HE JUST NEEDS A DYNAMIC, KIND OF FUN PERSON WHO IS REALLY, REALLY SHARP, PREFERABLY A WOMAN, PREFERABLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN, AND HE WILL BE FINE.

>> Bonnie: IN YOUR FAVORITE IS HARRIS?

>> Danielle Belton: NO.

MY FAVORITE IS ACTUALLY ABRAM!

KAMALA IS I THINK WHO HE WILL ULTIMATELY TAKE.> Bonnie: REALLY?

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

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SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

BEST OF LUCK WITH THE ROOT.

KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

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PLEASE JOIN US NEXT TIME.

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AND WHETHER YOU AGREE OR THINK "TO THE CONTRARY", SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

FOUNDATION, AND THE CHARLES A. FRUEAUFF FOUNDATION.

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