The New Yorker Radio Hour

Episode: The Black Vote in 2020

Date: February 7, 2020
Host: David Remnick
Guests: Marcus Ferrell (political organizer), Jelani Cobb (historian, Columbia University), Tyler Foggatt (New Yorker staff writer)

Overview

This episode explores the complexities of the Black vote in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Host David Remnick speaks with political strategist Marcus Ferrell about engaging Black male voters, and with journalist-historian Jelani Cobb about the state of the Democratic primary, the challenges candidates face connecting with Black communities, and the implications of race in American politics. The conversation covers the history of political outreach, the influence of candidate identity, and the fragility of trust in election legitimacy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Untapped Potential & Real Challenges with Black Voters

(00:12–02:57)

Marcus Ferrell discusses the ever-present enthusiasm for Stacey Abrams among Black voters in Georgia, emphasizing Black men as the most untapped voting bloc:

• Black women already vote at the highest rate:

  “We’re not going to increase the turnout of Black women by 20 points because Black women already vote at the highest rate. Obama won because black men, Latino brothers finally voted at high rates.” (00:28, Marcus Ferrell)

• Disconnect between candidates and Black men:

  • Politicians frame broad policies (e.g., Medicare for All) generically without speaking directly to Black men’s lived experiences.
  • Issues like incarceration, jobs via trade work, stopping gentrification, and achieving a living wage resonate more but are largely ignored by mainstream candidates.

• Critical Quote:

  “When I go and talk to black men, they are not impressed with the current talking point that candidates are providing them.” (00:53, Marcus Ferrell)

• Voter mobilization—not just courting likely voters—is key:

  “You don’t win with likely voters. You win with turnout voters… the unliking voters are the reason we’re going to win.” (01:46, Marcus Ferrell)

• Notable Moment:
  Ferrell describes “Iowa Speak” as politicians’ generalized, comfortable rhetoric aimed at reassuring white voters, leaving Black men disengaged. (01:25)

2. Race, Symbolism, and Strategy in Trump’s State of the Union

(02:57–06:35)

Remnick and Cobb analyze Trump’s performative outreach to Black Americans during the State of the Union:

• Tokenism vs. Substance:

  “There’s a kind of gross, ham-fisted showcasing of black people... a more refined version than before.” (04:13, Jelani Cobb)

• Electoral calculation:
  “He knows he’s not going to win the Black vote... but if he can raise the percentages just a bit... that might be decisive.” (05:18, David Remnick)

• Cynicism as political language:

  “Cynicism is the native language that Trump speaks in... he seems to be speaking it more fluently.” (05:08, Jelani Cobb)

3. Disconnection Between Democratic Rhetoric and Black Voters

(06:35–08:16)

• Big Tent Politics—Too Broad?

  “The tent has gotten so big that the roof is now sagging.” (06:51, Jelani Cobb)

• Democrats fear that prioritizing Black issues could alienate white working-class voters, creating a persistent disconnect.

• Bernie Sanders is noted as an exception, using economic populism to make inroads with younger Black voters—but he still lags far behind Joe Biden in overall support.

4. Sanders, Biden, and the Framing of “Electability”

(08:16–11:09)

• Bernie Sanders’ evolution:

  • Criticized in 2016 for failing to reach Black voters, especially in the South.
  • Has improved among younger Black voters and secured visible endorsements (e.g., Cornel West).

  “He has 20% in South Carolina... significant numbers of people who are young grassroots activists right there.” (08:35, Jelani Cobb)

• Biden’s enduring appeal:

  • Mostly attributed to his association with Barack Obama (“stardust”), as well as perceived electability.

  “It’s probably 60% stardust from Barack Obama and 40% the idea that he is the type of person other voters... might be inclined to vote for over Donald Trump.” (09:59, Jelani Cobb)

  • If Biden appears weak with white voters, Black support may erode:

    “Joe Biden faces the opposite problem that his African American support may begin to erode if... he isn’t as popular with the kind of Joe lunch bucket white guy as Black voters would perceive him to be.” (10:40, Jelani Cobb)

5. Buttigieg and the Homefront Problem

(11:09–12:45)

• Pete Buttigieg struggles to connect with Black voters both culturally and due to his track record as South Bend’s mayor, especially regarding policing.
• Political wisdom:

  “Never trust someone who’s more popular away from home than they are at home.” (11:50, Jelani Cobb)

• Anticipates GOP attacks on Buttigieg’s record if he becomes the nominee.

6. Why Have Candidates of Color Struggled?

(12:45–14:36)

• High-profile candidates of color (Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Julian Castro) have exited the race.

• Deval Patrick remains but is largely invisible.

• Visibility and money issue:

  “There were more billionaires than black people on the stage... during the debates.” (13:32, Jelani Cobb)

• DNC rules changes enabled Bloomberg on stage while making it harder for non-billionaire candidates.

• Likely that the eventual nominee will tap a person of color (e.g., Stacey Abrams, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, or Julian Castro) for VP.

7. The Fragility of Trust in Election Legitimacy

(14:36–16:52)

• Dysfunction in Iowa primaries is a warning sign:

  “The dissatisfaction... is just a precursor... the election will not be considered legitimate.” (14:36, David Remnick)

• High risk of post-election suspicion and disappointment, especially if Trump wins or contests results.
• Remnick and Cobb reflect on Founding Fathers’ fears of political violence as a result of bad faith.
• Critical insight:

  “Would a person with his history and his particular psychology, can that person stand being humiliated... by losing an election? Not likely. And is he above saying that the election is illegitimate? I don’t think so.” (15:12, Jelani Cobb)

• They agree the risk of political violence is real and rising.

8. Cultural Segment: Tyler Foggatt’s Picks

(16:56–23:44)

Note: This section shifts away from the primary Black Vote topic but offers cultural recommendations by New Yorker staff writer Tyler Foggatt.

• Tyler discusses the Japanese horror film “Cure” (1997), a remix of Kanye West’s “Say You Will” featuring Caroline Shaw, and the Netflix show “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.”
• Reflections on personal connections to pop culture and how revisiting or remixing old works brings new creativity.

Notable Quotes

• “If I wear a Stacey Abrams shirt in the airport, black men, black women will be like, where did you get that thing from to this day? And I'll buy it off of you right now.”
  — Marcus Ferrell (00:12)

• “Everybody wants to talk in Iowa Speak. Iowa speak is generalized conversations to 41-year-old white women…”
  — Marcus Ferrell (01:29)

• “There was a kind of tokenization of African Americans... it's a more refined version, I think, than what we've seen before.”
  — Jelani Cobb (04:13)

• “The tent has gotten so big that the roof is now sagging.”
  — Jelani Cobb (06:51)

• “There were more billionaires than black people on the stage, you know, during the debates.”
  — Jelani Cobb (13:32)

• “Would a person with his history and his particular psychology, can that person stand being humiliated on the biggest stage in the world by losing an election? Not likely.”
  — Jelani Cobb (15:12)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:12 — Marcus Ferrell on Black women’s voting power and Black men as “untapped” voters
• 01:25 — “Iowa Speak” and the failure to engage Black men
• 04:13 — Jelani Cobb critiques Trump’s “tokenization” of Black Americans
• 06:51 — The Democratic “big tent” and strategic dilemmas with Black issues
• 08:35 — Bernie Sanders’ trajectory with Black voters
• 09:59 — Biden’s support rooted in Obama association and “electability”
• 11:50 — Buttigieg’s struggles with Black voters, South Bend context
• 13:32 — Debate stage diversity: “more billionaires than Black people”
• 14:36 — Election legitimacy concerns and the risk of political violence
• 15:12 — On Trump and the danger of refusing election results

Conclusion

This episode offers a textured analysis of why Black voters—especially Black men—are disaffected by mainstream campaign rhetoric, the unintended consequences of Democratic strategy, and the ways race and identity shape every facet of contemporary American politics. Through candid commentary, both Ferrell and Cobb unpack the underlying dynamics of electoral engagement, disillusionment, and the very real risks facing democracy in 2020.