Charlamagne tha God says in the “age of hate,” Democrats need a messaging makeover, and should learn from Republicans how to “talk like real people.”
“Democrats have a problem. It’s not their policies. It’s not their fundraising,” he said in a Wednesday segment on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.”
“The problem they have is their messaging, or to say it plainer, it’s how they talk.”
“Nobody wants to hear the normal political voice anymore,” the “Breakfast Club” co-host contended.
Before Democrats “worry about explaining their side of an issue,” he said, “they need to learn something more basic: how to talk like real people. And I’m sure that’s possible, because you know who’s good at it? Those nuta‑‑ Republicans.”
The 45-year-old TV personality and cultural critic, whose legal name is Lenard McKelvey, then showed clips of Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) stating, “The Biden administration sucks,” and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) saying, “There were riots burning down the f‑‑‑ing country over George Floyd. And I’m really sick and tired of the bulls‑‑‑ antics I have to deal with constantly.”
“Yes, I know Marjorie Taylor Greene is a Whole Fools Market,” the “Get Honest or Die Lying” author said. “But that’s authentic. That’s real America. That’s what a Waffle House sounds like at 3 a.m.”
“That’s making a scene at Ann Taylor Loft because you can’t make a return without a receipt,” Charlamagne quipped of the Republican firebrand’s rhetoric.
It’s the same sentiment with former President Trump, Charlamagne said.
“[Trump] is a guy who knows what he wants and knows how to get it. The message is terrible, but it’s clear when he says, ‘Build a wall; lock her up; I hate sharks.'”
“No one goes, ‘I wonder what he means?’ Folks appreciate when someone sounds authentic, even if their ideas are terrible,” Charlamagne told the “Daily Show” audience.
Citing abortion as a “winning issue for Democrats,” Charlamagne said the party is failing on the messaging end.
“Republicans made abortion illegal in half the country, which is horrible,” he said, before offering some advice to Democrats.
“How about try this instead: ‘These religious nuta‑‑ Republicans want to force you to have a baby!’ Period. The end. That’s it. But I know, politicians aren’t supposed to talk that way. But they should.”
“But with Democrats, even when they talk about the good things they’ve done, it sounds fake,” Charlamagne said. “And I know that they’re capable of sounding real. I talk to a lot of these politicians behind the scenes. I hear how they speak when the mic’s not on, and it’s two totally different people,” he said, pointing to 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
“I’ve talked to Hillary behind the scenes and trust me, she’s a real human. I know you won’t believe this, but she can even say a great ‘motherf‑‑‑er.'”
“That Hillary would be at the end of her second term right now. But Democrats only talk authentically when it slips out,” Charlamagne said.
Charlamagne noted that “real talk” might be “a little off-brand for liberals” who “love to say stuff like, ‘Hate has no home here.'” Democrats could “at least give hate a guest room or something,” he quipped.
“You should never hate someone for who they are. But it’s OK to hate them for what they do, especially if what they do is hateful,” he said.
“Like it or not, this is the age of hate.”