Patrick Gaspard in conversation with Ann Bernstein
- Ann Bernstein, CDE executive director, spoke to the CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund and former US ambassador to South Africa, Patrick Gaspard, a week before the 2024 election about the future of democracy in America.
- Gaspard sees a second Trump presidency as a threat to the basic rights of Americans, especially reproductive rights. Trump, he argues, does not reflect or believe in values and norms that are important to the wellbeing of American institutions such as the Constitution.
- He argued that the global backlash against democracy is compounded by global crises that have stretched government budgets and raised the cost of living.
- In Gaspard’s view the Electoral College System needs to be reformed as it leads to disproportionate representation and skewed electoral results.
- He believes that the Republican party has been captured by the Frankenstein monster they built in their basement. “They brought some of the worst elements in society into the fold and thought they could control them,” he said. Instead, “Frankenstein got out of the basement, and then became their candidate.”
