In a new interview, the Texas Democrat gets candid about Democratic messaging and her role in the party.
Dasha Burns is POLITICO Playbook’s Chief Correspondent, White House Bureau Chief and Host of “The Conversation,” a fresh take on the traditional Sunday show format, going beyond conventional wisdom and short sound bites to broaden the political conversation.
For liberals who lament the Democratic Party’s ongoing struggle to break through with their messaging, the emergence of Rep. Jasmine Crockett represents a rare jolt of good news.
Here, finally, is a Democrat who’s eager to tangle with Republicans on Capitol Hill and gets plenty of media attention for doing it. Someone who gets invited onto Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show to talk about President Donald Trump and his cognitive tests.
And Crockett is game.
Now, not every member of the Democratic caucus may be on board with her approach. But in a new interview with The Conversation, she recalled the plaudits she got last year after her viral confrontation with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
“There are two little women in their eighties that are high-fiving me,” she said. “It is Maxine Waters and Nancy Pelosi. Two very well-known, fierce, yet definitely what you would probably consider to be older-school kind of politicians.”
Crockett added that even fellow Democrats in swing districts have invited her to help them campaign.
“Whether you agree with my style or disagree with my style,” she said, “I think people respect me for my authenticity.”
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Let’s start with the government shutdown. Millions of people could lose their SNAP benefits as soon as this weekend. We’ve seen flight delays and now the largest federal workers union is calling for Democratic leaders to stand down in this fight. What have you heard from your constituents and what is the latest from the House Democrats on this?
Honestly, this has probably been the most effective messaging that we’ve done as Democrats. When we look at the numbers, it is clear that whether you’re MAGA, Republican, Independent or Democrat, you believe that it is wrong to limit people’s access to health care in the form of getting rid of or allowing the expiration of those tax subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. And so I do think that, number one, it’s been very effective messaging. But number two, it is clear that the Democrats are fighting for the basic humanity of all Americans.
And I think that that is why we find ourselves in this very weird situation because basically the Republicans want to say, “Choose between the two impossible situations: Either people will be able to potentially eat today, but tomorrow they won’t be able to eat because of the cuts that we made in the big ugly bill, or tomorrow they won’t be able to eat because they actually will not survive to see another day.” We are only getting a preview of what’s going to happen as relates to them removing almost $300 billion from SNAP benefits. That is a very real thing that we are on the precipice of. So I will say to those that believe that now is the time to back down, I disagree. People need to understand that this is where the Republicans stand. Right now there are emergency funds that they could use so that people could continue to eat as it relates to SNAP, and the president has decided not to allow that to be used.
They’ve concluded that they can’t legally fund SNAP right now. Eventually though, for this shutdown to end, Democrats are going to have to reopen the government. They’re going to have to vote for a continuing resolution, or CR. What do you think gets them there?
As it relates to this administration caring about the law, they’ve never cared about the law. That is a cop out as it relates to this administration because they could care less about the law. But first of all, it would maybe take a president who actually wants to negotiate. This is supposed to be the guy that understands the art of the deal. He’s not made it a priority to look out for the American people ever since he swore in.
So what do I think it will take? I think that if we look at history, our last shutdown was under the same president and what it took was air traffic controllers [staying home]. As much as they beat up on our federal workers — they decide to fire them, they decide to call them lazy, all the things — sometimes it’s about showing people who’s boss. And the reality is that this government does not run without the people that actually work in it.
Let me ask you about Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. You and her are not best friends — pretty famously so. But she has crossed party lines to criticize Republicans for this looming rise in health care premiums. How do you see that move by her in the context of all of that we’re talking about?
A couple of things. Marjorie has specifically said that they could use the nuclear option if they wanted to, which is breaking the filibuster to get this done. That’s number one. She also has talked about health care costs. Now, I agree with her as much as it pains me. Right is right, wrong is wrong.
We’re saying that on the record you agree with her.
It’s on the record that Marjorie and I agree. But unfortunately, most of this was done without her really paying attention. The fact that premiums are going up is a result of the big ugly bill. When people are looking at their open enrollment letters and they’re seeing that the cost has gone up, that’s not just because of the subsidy.
It’s in large part because of the subsidies that were put in place by Democrats during Covid. So that’s certainly part of it.
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