Rep. Debbie Dingell: Roseanne’s Tweet Does Not Reflect How Americans Feel

“This is a very unusual political climate,” says Dingell. “We’ve got to start putting ourselves in each other’s shoes.”

Joan Isabella/WDET

This week, Roseanne Barr tweeted out odd and racist political banter, and the reboot of her show “Roseanne” was quickly cancelled. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump met with reality television star Kim Kardashian met to discuss prison reform. It’s hard to wrap one’s mind around this moment in American history. Someone who saw the writing on the wall, before the rest of us, for a fractious time in America was Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn).

“This is a very unusual political climate,” says Dingell. “We’ve got to start putting ourselves in each other’s shoes.”

Although Dingell has often talked about paying attention to the cultural and political forces that swept Donald Trump into the White House, she says Roseanne’s tweet was beyond the pale, and does not reflect how “real” Americans feel.

Dingell also talks about hopes that Democrats will see big wins in Michigan and nationwide in the 2018 midterm elections.

“I call myself Debbie Downer, because I’m not a blue wave believer,” says Dingell. “I always tell you when my gut is settled and my gut is not settled on this”

Click on the audio player above to hear the full conversation.

 


WDET’s Mackinac Policy Conference coverage is sponsored by The Henry Ford.

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