Donna Brazile wants millennials to make America great again, but I’m almost certain she would never use that phrase to describe her call to action.
Brazile, the interim chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, spoke Oct. 20 to students attending the annual Associated Collegiate Press National College Media Convention. Brazile was the convention’s opening keynote to be followed by Bob Woodward, Edward Snowden and Jose Antonio Vargus.
Brazile is a dang good speaker, as you would expect. She spoke seemingly off-the-cuff about a variety of political issues and answered tough reporters’ questions about the campaign in front of a room of more than 400 college journalists and media advisers. It was not an easy room, but Brazile had the group clapping and laughing as she danced on stage, flirted playfully with an attendee who asked a tough question and mocked everyone from Donald Trump to Al Gore.
But Brazile, who has worked on seven presidential campaigns and run lower-level campaigns in 49 states, addressed the audience seriously too. She said the current presidential election is “the most disruptive and volatile” she’s ever witnessed. She also said she didn’t want students in the audience to give up hope, but to instead harness their power.
I believe you all are the key to all of our problems.”
Brazile described starting her day at about 4 a.m. with online news and mainstream television news coverage, then reading several newspapers when she arrives at the office. She said she’s always loved writing and journalism, encouraging students to keep asking the tough questions and writing the important stories.
We’ve got to stop dumbing down the electorate. We need to tell the American people what’s going on.”
Brazile told the student journalists that their generation has the power to shape the future. Their first step in doing so, she said, is to get out and vote.
Go out there and create the change you believe in… make the noise you wanna hear. You’re the generation we’ve been waiting for, and I’m proud to know you.”
