Cornell Belcher: Outrage over Critical Race Theory ‘Not Grassroots’ — ‘Organized and Is Being Paid For’

MSNBC political analysts Cornell Belcher said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the outrage parents are experiencing over critical race theory is “not grassroots” but instead it is “organized and is being paid for.”

PBS reporter Amna Nawaz said, “Specific to this idea of critical race theory. I spent time reporting on this county in Virginia about an hour outside of Washington. To your point, this is something mobilizing people and resonating very deeply. It was about a 100-degree day, dozens and dozens and dozens of parents, mostly white in this largely affluent county, showed up to a school board meeting, for in the first one they attended, specifically because of this one issue.”

Republican strategist Brad Todd said, “you mentioned critical race theory a couple of times. This is a parent-led backlash at the grassroots level.”

Anchor Chuck Todd said, “It’s manufactured, and then sort of the fire was lit.”

Brad Todd said, “I disagree. I think it started because parents have had it with the education bureaucracy after COVID. They’re fed up with it. They tend to trust Democrats on education funding, but they trust Republicans on education accountability. I think the backlash you’re seeing on critical race theory in schools is other parents trying to hold educators accountable.”

Belcher said, “It’s coordinated, it’s aggressive, it’s intentional. This is part of the tribalism play. The critical race theory is yet another tool in the racial, tribal boogeyman’s toolbox to drive and inflame tribalism which Republicans think helps them in elections. This is Trump 2.0. It is a continuation of this. Critical race theory is an arcane ideal. Why is it front and center right now? The same reason Mitch McConnell attacked Stacey Abrams when she came out for the voting bill. It is racial. It is tribalism. We’ve seen it grow under Trump. This is part and parcel of it. They think this helps ignite their base. This is not grassroots, and Brad, you know this is organized and is being paid for.”

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