DNC Chair Harrison: ‘Our Democracy Is on Fire’ and We Have to ‘Put Out the Flames’

On Friday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Rachel Maddow Show,” DNC Chair Jaime Harrison discussed Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and their reluctance to do away with the filibuster to pass voting legislation and stated that “Rome is on fire. Our democracy is on fire. And it’s going to be incumbent upon all us to put out the flames.”

Host Ali Velshi asked, “[F]or Sens. Sinema and Manchin, they’re worried about how busting the filibuster wrecks democracy, except, in the process, democracy’s being wrecked. You’re an important guy in that conversation. You are the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Where do you stand on this? What do you — what conversations do you have with these legislators who could change the course of history as it relates to voting in this country?”

Harrison answered, “Well, as I said, democracy’s on the line. Justice Kagan yesterday in her dissent basically said that we are pouring old poison into new bottles. And I think all of our members need to understand that. That if they want democracy, this is your time to fight for it. And we have to have them do that. And so, I’m in the midst of calling all of the Democratic senators right now. I’m almost halfway through calling those senators. I still need to speak to Sen. Manchin, Sen. Sinema, and some of the others. But I’m going to continue to have conversations and have all of them understand the gravity of the situation, that this is so personal to so many of us. Our forefathers and foremothers basically bled, gave their lives in order to protect this right to vote and gain the right to vote, particularly for black folks in this country. And so, there’s a lot that we have to do here. We all have to step up. Again, Rome is on fire. Our democracy is on fire. And it’s going to be incumbent upon all us to put out the flames.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett