Are we really gonna defend democracy again?!?

In the lead up to one of the most important midterm cycles of the last couple of decades, Symone and Eugene want to check the pulse of the voting bloc they argue is the most important in every election: Black voters. So they invite longtime strategist and pollster Terrance Woodbury to join the groupchat, who tells our hosts that if the political parties want to mobilize the youth, they need to stop "defending democracy." “ We can reform democracy, remake democracy,” said Woodbury. “But defend a system that has failed us is not something that was mobilizing.” Based on the intel he's gathering, a revolution sparked by the youth is coming, and it will be radical in a way that will make Congress – and some Americans – uncomfortable. “ This is our chance to build something better. For us, by us.”

As the 2026 midterm elections heat up, MS NOW is headed to the Lone Star State. Join more than a dozen of your favorite hosts - including Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Jen Psaki, Michael Steele, Ali Velshi and more - in Arlington, Texas on September 26 for a day of community and conversation about the issues that matter most to you. Get your tickets at ms.now/together.

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