Brazile addresses democracy, polarization in kickoff to latest Palm Springs Speaks series

Donna Brazile made her way onto the Palm Springs stage on Tuesday as the Palm Springs Speaks speaker series kicked off its sixth season. Brought to the city by Friends of the Palm Springs Library, the series draws distinguished speakers from politics, wellness, and entertainment to the Coachella Valley.

In her lecture at Richards Center for the Arts titled “What have we done to deserve this?” Brazile focused on the current political landscape and the state of democracy in America. She argued that our democracy is in its current state due to a loss of faith in institutions, the American dream, capitalism, and the belief that things will improve.

Brazile, who was introduced by California State Sen. Tony Atkins, is a veteran political strategist, author, and educator known for her groundbreaking work in Democratic politics. In 2000, she became the first African American woman to manage a major presidential campaign, overseeing Al Gore’s bid for the White House.

She has also served as interim Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) multiple times and is a prominent political commentator, contributing her insights on major news networks. Throughout her career, Brazile has been a staunch advocate for voting rights, diversity, and inclusion in politics.

According to Brazile, our democracy is in the state it is in today because we have lost faith in our institutions, in the American dream, in capitalism, and in the faith that things will get better. She noted that only 30% of Americans trust the government, 40% trust journalists, and even lower percentages trust institutions like churches, banks, public schools, and the medical system.

“If mistrust was a disease, the US would be facing an epidemic,” Brazile declared, stating that we’ve done this to ourselves.

Brazile argued that polarization has eroded public trust, and Americans need to stop seeing each other as “red versus blue” and instead find common ground.

“We shouldn’t have to be this polarized,” she said. “We should start to think of questions not as annoying or intimidating, but as a way of seeking solutions and answers.”

Only by getting out of our comfort zones and asking questions can Americans begin to restore faith in democracy, Brazile explained.

She added that engaging with local communities and having real conversations is vital, stating, “We never have a conversation on Sunday morning anymore on how can we help people.”

Despite the challenges, Brazile expressed optimism about the future, noting that nearly 20 million Americans had already cast early votes, with over 57 million ballots requested.

“If mistrust was a disease, the US would be facing an epidemic.”

— Donna Brazile

“At the rate we’re going, this could be the largest turnout in US history,” she predicted.

Brazile also praised President Joe Biden for increasing public trust by stepping aside in the presidential race.

“No one has ever gone through what we witnessed this summer,” said Brazile, calling Biden’s decision to withdraw a significant moment in American history. Brazile predicted many books, articles, and manifestos would be written about what he did, emphasizing that speech was about his commitment to the country, not himself.

While Harris’s candidacy may have reinvigorated the campaign, Brazile warned that her opponent, former President Donald Trump, remains formidable.

“It’s going to be a squeaker,” she said.

Even if Harris wins, Brazile emphasized that the current vice president would still have a lot of work to do to restore Americans’ faith, particularly given the low public approval of Congress and the Supreme Court.

She pointed to young people as one of the groups that have specifically lost trust, urging the importance of appointing young people to key positions in government.

“We have to give young people a seat at the table,” she said. “We need these young people to be a part of what we’re doing and be prepared to serve.”

In conclusion, Brazile reflected on the importance of leaving behind a stronger democracy.

“I want to leave it better than I found it,” she said. “I’ve constantly had to learn from my mistakes, and I want to be a part of a country that learns from its mistakes.”

She closed her talk by emphasizing the need for forgiveness for each other and ourselves to heal the nation’s divide.

“What have we done to deserve this?” she asked the crowd. “Nothing that we can’t fix together.”

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