Former Alabama congressman (AL-5) and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dr. Parker Griffith appeared on the latest episode of “Guerrilla Politics,” which aired on Sunday, and joined in the criticism of the state Democratic Party and its leadership, specifically calling the Alabama Democratic Conference (ADC) “a racist group.”
Griffith at first reflected on himself getting blown out in the 2014 gubernatorial contest and advised that Alabama Democrats are “going to continue” to get beaten badly in elections without drastic changes in party leadership, strategy and messaging.
“We have a bad coach. We have a bad offensive coordinator, etcetera,” Griffith said.
Host Dale Jackson referred to failed AL-3 Democratic congressional nominee Mallory Hagan, who in her concession speech asserted that the state party “shit on Democratic candidates left and right.”
“Not [on] some [of the Democratic candidates], on the entire Democratic Party,” Griffith remarked, beginning his pointed criticism of Worley and Reed.
He added, “What she meant was Joe Reed is running his own private little business there. He’s chief extortionist and has been for years. Joe Reed’s not a politician. He’s a political thug, but he’s actually running this for his own account.”
According to Griffith, the Reed-run ADC, which is best known as the “Black Political Caucus of Alabama,” “has now become a racist group.”
Not only does Reed run the ADC, but he is also the vice chair for minority affairs within the state party, a position in which he realistically controls the entire organization. But it is not just an overhaul in leadership that is needed, according to Griffith. Alabama Democrats need to change what they talk about and what they do not talk about.
The former north Alabama congressman explained, “Trump’s not the Democrats’ problem in Alabama. The Democrats are the Democrats’ problem in Alabama. They need to quit talking about Trump, clean up their own backyard, get some leadership that the young people can identify with and we might have a two-party system.”
Overall, Griffith stressed that the state Democratic Party and Democratic candidates in Alabama need to detach themselves from the national Democratic Party and its leaders, like House Minority Leader (possibly soon to be Speaker again) Nancy Pelosi. Until they do so, Griffith believes that Alabama Democrats have no chance.
“Nancy Pelosi is telling Alabama and continues to tell Alabama, ‘You don’t matter. You’re a backwater, we don’t need care what happens down here. Get your act together.’ If Nancy Pelosi cared about Alabama, do you think Joe Reed and Nancy Worley would be running the party? Heck no, heck no,” Griffith concluded.
[Relevant portion beginning around the 15:05 mark]
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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