Rachel Maddow

But I don't think people are OK with it is the thing that I mean, like maybe there are some people who get a transgressive thrill from seeing the kind of cruelty that they're displaying and making propaganda out of. But I actually think that there's a lot more people in polling bears this out who think it's both pointless and wrong.

Like I just think about that Chuck Grassley town hall in Iowa.

Like I just think about that Chuck Grassley town hall in Iowa.

No.

No.

Yeah. I mean, that's the heart of the American people on this issue. I think so. I think so. I think they were really – this is one of – I just did this little mini book tour. I just did like four or five nights. But one of the things that really like came up again and again, and we talked about it a lot, that it really seems like they were counting on –

Yeah. I mean, that's the heart of the American people on this issue. I think so. I think so. I think they were really – this is one of – I just did this little mini book tour. I just did like four or five nights. But one of the things that really like came up again and again, and we talked about it a lot, that it really seems like they were counting on –

the dehumanizing propaganda around immigrants to have taken sufficient hold among the American people that their performative cruelty toward immigrants would actually be their most popular political action. And they could get so much political capital out of abusing immigrants and

the dehumanizing propaganda around immigrants to have taken sufficient hold among the American people that their performative cruelty toward immigrants would actually be their most popular political action. And they could get so much political capital out of abusing immigrants and

for the pleasure of the American people, for the enjoyment of the American people, that it would actually build up their capital so they could use that accrued capital for other things. And the American people, by and large, have not had that reaction. And people are standing up

for the pleasure of the American people, for the enjoyment of the American people, that it would actually build up their capital so they could use that accrued capital for other things. And the American people, by and large, have not had that reaction. And people are standing up

for immigrants in their communities and repulsed by ICE raids and tactics and remembering the names of these people who have been disappeared. And one of the things that's been heartening to me is to see that the Democratic feedback loop doesn't necessarily work on the administration on these things yet, although I think in some ways it does. But seeing...

for immigrants in their communities and repulsed by ICE raids and tactics and remembering the names of these people who have been disappeared. And one of the things that's been heartening to me is to see that the Democratic feedback loop doesn't necessarily work on the administration on these things yet, although I think in some ways it does. But seeing...

protesters, seeing community members stand up for immigrants has caused Democrats to start going to the ICE detention facilities and going to these immigration prisons, these otherwise domestic black sites, showing up and saying, we know people are in there and we're here to see them. And they were banking on us being much more bloodthirsty.

protesters, seeing community members stand up for immigrants has caused Democrats to start going to the ICE detention facilities and going to these immigration prisons, these otherwise domestic black sites, showing up and saying, we know people are in there and we're here to see them. And they were banking on us being much more bloodthirsty.

Then I think we are. And I actually think they banked wrong on that. And it means they have miscalculated their amount of political capital, what it would take to replenish it and the kind of backlash that they're getting and loss of support that they're having to endure.

Then I think we are. And I actually think they banked wrong on that. And it means they have miscalculated their amount of political capital, what it would take to replenish it and the kind of backlash that they're getting and loss of support that they're having to endure.

The thing that I didn't expect that really wowed me, that gave me a big emotional boost like I had to kind of collect myself moment was I talked at all the events that I did about protests and about what I was just saying about people standing up for immigrants in particular. And at a couple of events, I said, you know, has anybody here done any sort of in-person protest?

The thing that I didn't expect that really wowed me, that gave me a big emotional boost like I had to kind of collect myself moment was I talked at all the events that I did about protests and about what I was just saying about people standing up for immigrants in particular. And at a couple of events, I said, you know, has anybody here done any sort of in-person protest?

Have you gone out and held a sign somewhere? And a lot of people, you know, plotted. Yeah, I did. And I was like, oh, wow, like a significant portion of people. And I said, and When you did that, how did it make you feel? And the roar of cheers and applause. Like, I'm getting tears thinking about it right now. Just this wave of, like, yes, this felt good. Yeah.