Charlamagne tha God Has Some Advice for Kamala Harris and the Democrats
Digest
This podcast features a conversation between David Remnick and Charlemagne the God, exploring various aspects of politics and media. Remnick discusses Kamala Harris's media strategy, particularly her choice to appear on The Breakfast Club, a popular radio show hosted by Charlemagne the God. Remnick expresses his surprise that Harris chose to appear on The Breakfast Club but not The New Yorker, highlighting the different audiences each platform reaches. The conversation then shifts to the importance of reaching black voters in the upcoming election. Charlemagne expresses his skepticism about polls showing low support for Harris among black men, arguing that the statistics are overstated and that black men have historically voted for Democratic candidates. He criticizes Democrats for their messaging problems and calls for more honesty and authenticity in their communication. Remnick and Charlemagne discuss Joe Rogan's podcast and Harris's decision to appear on Fox News and The Breakfast Club. Charlemagne praises Rogan's honesty and objectivity, arguing that Harris's media strategy is smart in reaching diverse audiences. Charlemagne also shares his personal mission to help black people, particularly black men, with their mental health. He shares his own experiences with trauma and the importance of vulnerability and emotional expression. He discusses his childhood, his mother's role as a Jehovah's Witness, and his father's struggles with mental health and substance abuse. He credits his parents and other adults in his life for his education and development. Charlemagne discusses the influence of hip-hop on his life, highlighting the importance of storytelling in the genre. He cites artists like Rocky Mourry, Uten Klan, and Chuck D as inspirations. He expresses his desire to be of service and his interest in exploring the political system. He acknowledges the challenges of making change in politics and the importance of understanding the complexities of the system. Finally, Charlemagne discusses the death threats he has received for interviewing Kamala Harris. He reflects on the risks of political commentary and the importance of speaking truth to power.
Outlines
Kamala Harris's Media Strategy and Reaching Black Voters
David Remnick and Charlemagne the God discuss Kamala Harris's media strategy, particularly her choice to appear on The Breakfast Club. They also explore the importance of reaching black voters in the upcoming election, with Charlemagne expressing skepticism about polls showing low support for Harris among black men.
Political Communication and Joe Rogan's Podcast
Charlemagne argues that the language of politics is dead and criticizes Democrats for their messaging problems. Remnick and Charlemagne discuss Joe Rogan's podcast and Harris's decision to appear on Fox News and The Breakfast Club, with Charlemagne praising Rogan's honesty and objectivity.
Charlemagne's Personal Mission and Childhood
Charlemagne discusses his personal mission to help black people, particularly black men, with their mental health. He shares details about his childhood, including his mother's role as a Jehovah's Witness and his father's struggles with mental health and substance abuse.
Hip-Hop, Political Ambitions, and the Risks of Commentary
Charlemagne discusses the influence of hip-hop on his life and expresses his desire to be of service and his interest in exploring the political system. He also reflects on the death threats he has received for interviewing Kamala Harris and the risks of political commentary.
Keywords
Black Men's Vote
The voting patterns and political preferences of African American men in the United States, particularly in relation to the Democratic Party and the upcoming election.
Political Language
The style and tone of communication used by politicians and political commentators, often characterized by specific vocabulary, rhetoric, and strategies to appeal to different audiences.
Media Strategy
The deliberate and calculated approach used by political figures and campaigns to engage with different media outlets and platforms to reach target audiences and shape public perception.
Mental Health Advocacy
The act of promoting awareness, understanding, and support for mental health issues, often through public education, policy advocacy, and personal storytelling.
Populism
A political approach that emphasizes the common person and their concerns, often appealing to emotions and anxieties, and challenging established political institutions and elites.
Truth to Power
The act of speaking out against injustice, corruption, or abuse of power, often by challenging those in positions of authority and holding them accountable for their actions.
Q&A
Why do you think Kamala Harris chose to appear on The Breakfast Club but not The New Yorker?
Charlemagne the God believes that Harris is strategically targeting different audiences with her media appearances. The Breakfast Club reaches a large audience of black listeners, while The New Yorker caters to a more elite and intellectual audience.
What are your thoughts on the polls showing low support for Kamala Harris among black men?
Charlemagne believes that the polls are overstated and that black men have historically voted for Democratic candidates. He argues that the Democratic Party should focus on addressing the concerns of black voters rather than blaming them for low support.
What do you think is the most important thing for Democrats to do to improve their messaging?
Charlemagne believes that Democrats need to be more honest and authentic in their communication. He criticizes their tendency to use political jargon and avoid speaking directly to the concerns of voters.
What are your thoughts on Joe Rogan's podcast and Harris's decision to appear on Fox News?
Charlemagne praises Rogan's honesty and objectivity, arguing that Harris's media strategy is smart in reaching diverse audiences. He believes that it is important for politicians to engage with different perspectives and platforms.
What is your personal mission and how do you hope to make a difference?
Charlemagne's mission is to help black people, particularly black men, with their mental health. He believes that it is important for black men to be able to express their emotions and vulnerabilities without fear of judgment.
What are your thoughts on the death threats you have received for interviewing Kamala Harris?
Charlemagne acknowledges the risks of political commentary and the importance of speaking truth to power. He believes that it is important to hold politicians accountable for their actions, even if it comes with personal consequences.
Show Notes
In these final days of the Presidential campaign, Vice-President Kamala Harris has been getting in front of voters as much as she can. Given the polls showing shaky support among Black men, one man she absolutely had to talk to was Lenard McKelvey, much better known as Charlamagne tha God. As a co-host of the syndicated “Breakfast Club” morning radio show, Charlamagne has interviewed Presidential candidates such as Harris, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden, as well as New York City’s embattled Mayor Eric Adams and many more. He tells David Remnick that he received death threats just for speaking with Harris—“legitimate threats, not … somebody talking crazy on social media. That’s just me having a conversation with her about the state of our society. So imagine what she actually gets.” Charlamagne believes firmly that the narrative of Harris losing Black support is overstated, or a polling fiction, but he agrees that the Democrats have a messaging problem. The author of a book titled “Get Honest or Die Lying,” Charlamagne says that the Party has shied away from widespread concerns about immigration and the economy, to its detriment. “I just want to see more honesty from Democrats. Like I always say, Republicans are more sincere about their lies than Democrats are about their truth!”
Table of contents
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