Clay’s Play: Go to Chicago on January 6th, President Trump
CLAY: I have the perfect response that Republicans all over the country should adopt on January 6th, tomorrow, as the media is set to lose its mind over the anniversary of the January 6th riots at the Capitol. But first, talking about kids in schools — and this is directly connected to that — Jen Psaki, if we play cut 20 here, said basically schools can’t reopen because unvaccinated people are putting kids at risk. This is all nonsensical. Listen to this.
PSAKI: I think what’s important to step back here is recognize we’re still in the middle of a pandemic. Uh, there are still far too many people, uh, who are not vaccinated, there are still kids who are at risk because there are not enough people, adults, vaccinated, and I think what we’re all collectively trying to do here is protect more people and save more lives, whether you work here or at the CDC or the FDA.
CLAY: Everything she said is a lie in that statement. Everything she said, Buck. Kids are not in danger from unvaccinated adults, unvaccinated people and vaccinated people are spreading covid widely. But here is my theory. I want to see what you think about this. January 6th, Republicans are gonna mostly just kind of disappear from the Capitol and Democrats are gonna marinate in the danger. They’re gonna argue this is why they have to change the voting laws and democracy’s at stake and all these things. Donald Trump canceled his January 6th press conference.
If Donald Trump wants to speak out (and I would say this for any prominent national Republican figure), the play here — and I think it’s an important one is to, while the Democrats are focusing on a year ago, go to Chicago or draw direct attention to Chicago and all of the kids that are not in school in Chicago. Imagine the optics if Donald Trump got on a plane, flew to Chicago, had a press conference where he said, “Open Chicago schools!
“All of these kids need to be in person right now. Eighty-two percent of these kids are black and Hispanic. It is indefensible that Democratic politicians are bowing down to the unions. And while they’re all focused on January 6th and the past, I am focused on the future and our country’s future is kids in school getting education.” It is Donald Trump, it is Ron DeSantis, it is Greg Abbott, it is any national political figure in the Republican Party.
While the Democrats are trying to draw attention to January 6th, you counterprogram with things that are going on right now, which is kids not in school. Buck, would that not play incredibly well? You got Schumer and Pelosi sitting around talking about how democracy’s at stake and how terrified they were a year ago. AOC’s crying that she thought she was gonna be attacked, and then Donald Trump bows up, says every kid needs to be in school. I think it would be an incredible political moment to have those dichotomies at play at the exact same time.
BUCK: I like it.
CLAY: Is that not —
BUCK: I think the Chicago schools, they may end up opening just because they realize Lori Lightfoot doesn’t want them shut. She says they’re on unpaid status now, by the way. So yes, but you have to see how this actually plays out. They could be open as of tomorrow. So —
CLAY: First teacher that doesn’t get paid is gonna be the last. It ain’t happening, right? Show up, call ’em to account, hold them accountable. I would love to see it.
