Interviewee: Morgan Baker
Interviewer: Grace Farrar
Location: Remote interview
Date: September 30, 2020
Accession #: ELEC 009
Length of Recording:
Summary
Morgan Baker was born on June 21, 2002 in Birmingham, Alabama and is currently a political science student at the University of South Carolina. In the interview, Baker recounts her childhood, including her early interest in politics. She discusses her time at the Center for Law and Global Policy Development at River Bluff High School in Lexington, South Carolina and her time working for the campaigns of Lindsey Graham and Nancy Mace, two South Carolina politicians. Baker emphasizes her extensive political involvement, including her personal reflections on the 2020 election.
Keywords
Politics | South Carolina | Nancy Mace | Lindsey Graham | Tulsi Gabbard | COVID | Lexington SC
Recording
Transcript
Grace Farrar: This is an oral history interview for the 2020 election oral history project, part of coursework for Honors College class SCHC 326, documenting the memories and experiences of those involved in civic engagement and the 2020 election. This is Grace Farrar, the date is September 30th, 2020, and today I’m remotely interviewing Morgan Baker. We are both in Columbia, South Carolina. Just for the record would you give me your full name and spell it.
Morgan Baker: I’m Morgan Baker, M-O-R-G-A-N B-A-K-E-R.
GF: And where and when were you born?
MB: I was born June 21st, 2002 in Birmingham, Alabama.
GF: Okay, and so, where did you grow up? (Recording cuts out)
MB: Lexington, South Carolina
GF: Okay, when did you move to Lexington?
MB: Early 2004.
GF: Okay and so, what was the community in Lexington like when you were growing up?
MB: I guess it depends on who you ask, uh I wasn’t really fond of everyone (laughter) but I don’t know. I don’t know how to answer that question. I don’t know.
GF: What sort of things did everyone do together as a community would you say, how would you describe it?
MB: Hhm, I don’t really know. I feel like I don’t know. (laughter)
GF: That’s okay. Tell me about your parents and grandparents and where they’re from.
MB: Okay, well my mom and all of her family is from Monck’s Corner, South Carolina, it’s near Charleston. And my dad and his family, well my dad’s from Summerville, South Carolina. His parents are from other places, I don’t really know.
GF: And, what did you parents do for work?
MB: My mom just went back to school and is now a teacher, this is her third year. And my dad is a pharmaceutical sales rep for (unintelligible speech at 2:20) Yeah.
GF: And do you know what your grandparents did for work?
MB: My grandmother on my mom’s side was also a teacher. My grandfather on my mom’s side he did real estate, he does all kinds of different things. And then, my dad’s mom worked at a plant called Showa Denko in Summerville. Yeah.
GF: And do you have any siblings?
MB: I do. Yes. (laughter) Jay. He’s 16 next week, or two weeks.
GF: That’s exciting. So what were any family traditions you experienced?
MB: Just any? That includes Christmas?
GF: Yeah. Yeah, anything.
MB: I mean I guess we always do thanksgiving as a whole big family with everyone. Christmas, we’d always be like, my brother and I would always be like “We can do the first gift on Christmas Eve, that’s how we always do it.” Which is a lie, but we started doing it that way because we were like “we always do it this way” and they were like “No we don’t,” but now we do, so technically we’re correct. I think that’d be about it. Oh and birthdays! On everyone’s birthday we always have pancakes with M&Ms for breakfast.
GF: Aw.
MB: Even if it’s a school day, we’ll just wake up really early. Yep.
GF: That’s good. So who would you say had the greatest influence on you growing up?
MB: Shoot. I don’t know. I would say, I guess my parents. ‘Cause even things like, both of them, people would be like “Oh, my mom” or “My dad” but actually both of them, ‘cause I’m actually very similar to both of them and even just the stuff like whenever I would be going somewhere, even if it’s freakin’ noon, and they’d be like, “Okay, what time are you going to be back?” So I’m used to that now. For example, my roommate is not, so I’ll always be like, “Where are you going? When are you coming back?” and she’s always doesn’t respond, ‘cause she wasn’t raised that way but I’m always like “I wanna know.” That’s just how I do things. (laughter)
GF: Yeah. Do you remember in, during your childhood any large historical events that happened?
MB: I guess the flood in South Carolina. I remember that pretty well. Um, let’s see. I don’t know. I guess Obama getting elected would be a thing that would be a large historical event too. I don’t know.
GF: So what, I know you told me about like the people who had an influence on your life, what would you say an experience or like a sport you did or just what do you think has had the greatest influence on your life other than your parents?
MB: Yeah, so I did year-round and high school swim, and I was never necessarily the best, and in high school I’d win some events. I’d win the 200 and 500 free, but generally I wasn’t the best. But that really impacted my life because I would, what’s it called, I’ve met so many people, there are people that I mean I’m still friends with today. One goes here, she’s dope. But, and I coached a summer swim team. I was a head coach a couple years ago and that was crazy. But I feel like that really grew me as person also because there’s a lot to deal with and a lot to do. Yeah, and actually a couple of weeks ago I got in the pool for the first time since high school swim last year and it was like I was totally different person for the next two days. I was so happy and everything, it was great. So definitely it was fun.
GF: Well, hopefully you can find somewhere on campus so you’re able to continue that. So other than swim, did you have any hobbies or were you involved in stuff in school?
MB: Yeah, so politics would be the other like thing, just as a blanket statement. So I did the Center for Law and Global Policy Development at River Bluff because I’m a politics nerd. Which makes sense, I’m a poli sci major, so you know that makes sense. But so we got to do all political-related stuff there and I really wanted to do that since they came and spoke about it at Lexington Middle in 7th grade. Everyone else was like “Uh I wish we weren’t still in this meeting” and I’m like “I want to do that.” But, yeah, definitely that ’cause and then just everything. I mean, heck, I’m majoring and it’s, that’s kind of a large thing, I would say.
GF: So when you were younger, what was your dream job, would you say?
MB: President. (laughter) Yeah, my friends are still like “President Baker?” and I’m like “no shut up.” Yeah. Probably that.
GF: Yeah, that’s definitely…
MB: I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was little. That’s how I got a dog ’cause my parents were like “Well, she can’t be a veterinarian without ever having a dog when she was a kid,” so it worked out.
GF: So where did you go to middle and high school and what was your, could you just tell me about your time in middle and high school?
MB: So I went to Lexington Middle and Lexington High and I didn’t really love it. I kind of freaking hated it, not going to lie. I loved when I went to the Law Center ’cause I feel like I really found my people there. My roommate went to the Law Center with me, a lot of people who I’m still friends with went there. And I just didn’t really have the community that I had wanted to at Lexington High. I think it’s probably partially ’cause I didn’t really go there for half of the day for the last two years so, I don’t know. Maybe that’s part of it. I don’t know, I didn’t really enjoy it that much there. (laughter)
GF: Yeah, my sister was in Law Center and she said kind of the same thing about Lexington. Who’s your roommate?
MB: Her name’s Alli Helms.
GF: Oh okay, I know that name. So you told me about the swim job that you had, but what other jobs other than the current one you have, have you had in the past?
MB: (unintelligible speech at 8:33) No, I’m kidding. So, there was that head coach, that was my only actual paid job which is nice. I keep getting internships and I’m like, “Morgan, why do you keep doing this yourself?” ‘Cause then I’m broke, and it’s great. But I worked for Nancy Mace over the summer. She’s running for Congress in the first district of South Carolina. She’s awesome, ’cause I worked for her. So I went to the Law Center, you do these things, they call them externships, but they’re internships. So you work with a lawyer for one part of the year. Sorry, loud plane.
GF: That’s okay.
MB: OK, so you work with a lawyer for part of the year and then the latter part you work with someone in the government. So I wanted to work with Nancy Mace then. I went to work with her in the State House. And I got to [send] constituent emails, emailing all of them, responding to her emails in a totally legal way, clarifying that I would say “Morgan” at the bottom. But, that kind of stuff and she took me on the floor one time on this, on the House floor. It was so cool and she was talking when we were there so the camera went on us; it was really cool. (laughs) I worked with her over the summer also for her congressional campaign, ’cause she asked me about, I guess in April or May or so. We were stuck at home anyways so I may as well have been. I was working with her remotely for a while and then every once in a while, every other week or so I would go down and stay at her house and work there and it was a really good time.
GF: I know you told me about the Law Center, but what were some specific classes you took in high school that were just your favorites?
MB: Journalism, I think it was Intro to Journalism or something. I don’t even know. But Miss Florence taught it at Lexington and I love her so much. She’s my favorite teacher ever, literally we text all the time and we’ve been out to lunch since I graduated. I love her. I definitely heard her tell people that I was her favorite student ever, so. (laughs) I’m not really, teachers don’t necessarily tend to like me, especially not the most out of anyone. Definitely that class, I loved that class. And also speech. I took the public speaking [class]. I met one of my absolute best friends there. His name’s Jermon. He, we were literally Facetiming for like 3 hours the other night which was a bad idea ’cause it’s way too late to be doing that, but, and I had homework, it’s fine. Oh yeah, definitely those two.
GF: Okay, and so what piqued your interest in USC and why’d you ultimately decide to come here?
MB: Actually my parents met here and it’s only 30 minutes away, so those are the two reasons that I really didn’t want to go. I didn’t even want to tour it and my dad was like “Okay, so we should at least tour it.” They’re never going to force me to go hear anything, but he was just like “You know just to see if it is what you actually want.” So I toured it and I loved it, and also the fact that it’s right near the State House and in the middle of everything and I just love Colombia anyways. All of that was definitely a lot.
GF: Definitely. Both my parents went here, too, and I was like “Yeah, that’s a little too close,” but it doesn’t feel that close when you’re here.
MB: Yeah, it doesn’t. I feel like it’s a good distance actually ’cause, if I want to go home or whatever for a couple hours or whatever I can just do that and it’s not a big thing.
GF: Yeah, that is nice. I know you told me your major was poli sci, but did you consider any other majors or were you always just set on that?
MB: I definitely wanted to do mass communications. I’m not sure if I’m going to end up switching. I wanted to do both, but the people were like “You don’t have time to do both. It would take at least five years” and I’m like “I don’t want to spend five years in undergrad” so we’ll see what happens. But yeah, I love mass communications. Nancy and them actually offered me an internship they made just for me that was just communications stuff. It was literally the day after I’d taken the Lindsey Graham one and I was like (frowns) but it’s fine.
GF: You could definitely look into minoring in that. I’m in the journalism school, I’m majoring in PR and I really would recommend it. Have you ever watched The West Wing?
MB: Yes.
GF: Okay, so I want to do political communications and speech writing so I would definitely like look into that.
MB: I love speech writing. I love writing speeches. Once I learned how to write a speech, it was a problem because all of my papers turned into speeches. I think it I’m over that now maybe, but it’s a problem ‘cause now I just write how I talk instead of writing how I probably should write.
GF: Yeah, definitely.
MB: But yeah, that is, that’s really cool.
GF: What classes are you taking this semester?
MB: Okay, well. Spanish 109 online and asynchronous so it’s really something else. I took my first exam in it last night. I don’t know how it went. I just talked to the camera the whole time so I’m concerned. (laughs) Sorry. Let’s see. I’m doing Poly 103A, it’s the history of, no politics of Africa. It’s really interesting but it’s also asynchronous so it’s a little hard to get into. And then English 101, I’m doing the capstone version. So it’s Disney related so that’s cool. And then, what else, Morgan? Stat, Stat 112, it’s median statistics. It’s really interesting. I actually really like that class. I didn’t go this morning but I did, but I do like the class. (laughs) And U101. Yeah, I think.
GF: That’s good, so you’re in the capstone program. Do you like it so far?
MB: Yeah. I do.
GF: That’s good. And have you gotten involved on campus yet? I know they haven’t had a lot of in person stuff.
MB: Yeah, so I let’s see, I joined three clubs. Yeah, so the Turning Point chapter here and then College Republicans. Though I haven’t actually gone to really any of their meetings ’cause. they’re all online. So I’m just like “Eh I don’t want to go.” And then, what was the third one? Advocates for Life, which is like a pro-life group that does that stuff.
GF: Okay, very cool and so I know you’ve only been here a couple of months. But has your college experience been consistent with what you expected or better or worse?
MB: No. Definitely nowhere near it. I have, I mean, I’ve loved it, I’m just it wasn’t what I had pictured in my head though at all, obviously yeah.
GF: Definitely. But I feel like next semester, hopefully, it should get better.
MB: Hopefully.
GF: So now I’d like to talk more about, I know you had mentioned earlier about politics. So when do you first remember developing an interest in politics?
MB: 7th grade. Miss Bosskiss’ history class ’cause there was this guy that was, we had to watch CNN 10 or I’m going to call it CNN Student News. That’s what it was then it just feels correct… They changed the name. Either way, we had to watch that and then there would be things that happened that I was like “Well I don’t know if that’s, if I agree with that,” whatever he would say or something. And then there was a kid in my class who would be like a know it all and be like “Blah blah blah blah” and thought he knew everything about everything. It was so annoying but I didn’t actually know technically enough either to debate him, so that’s why I learned so I could debate him, because I thought he was wrong. I still think he’s wrong. (laughs)
GF: That’s good. Could you tell me a little bit more about your time at the Law Center and just, what you learned and gained there?
MB: So much. (laughs) I literally, so much. Connections, one time I got to go in the middle of the school day, it was actually the day of senior pictures which ended up being some stress added on because I shouldn’t have done that that day, but I went to go see the president land at the airport, just in the middle of the day. My teacher arraigned for a few of us that were interested in that.
That was also one of the co-chairs of Teenage Republicans so when they were different things like that, he would give it to us first usually ’cause we’re the ones that cared and did that kind of stuff all the time. So definitely that and I got, I even got to speak a couple times with the Lexington GOP meeting, which the first time went really badly. The second time went a lot better, but connections, opportunities and I don’t know if you heard about this but Tulsi Gabbard actually came and spoke at River Bluff. I was the one that organized that and it was literally the coolest thing ever. I happened to meet her parents at Soda City. I’m yelling because of the plane.
GF: That’s okay, I can hear where I am too, outside.
MB: (laughs) It’s just like, oh, okay. It’s like in YouTube videos when they’re like… So okay, so I’d met her parents at Soda City and just over the course of I think it was a month, maybe, she ended up coming in. That was really, really cool. Organizing that and having to deal with all the different things. We had to go invite every single person that’s running for the same seat, just as a district policy. It took a ton of time; it’s really cool.
GF: That is really cool. What would you say was your most influential or helpful class that you took at the center?
MB: Hm, I don’t know. Maybe, it may have been AP US history, ’cause, I just really enjoyed that class and I feel like I actually learned stuff. ‘Cause my teacher, he was really into it and I love him to death. That man, he was really into it.
GF: Did you have Mr. Burgess?
MB: Yes, I love him, but he annoys me.
GF: Yeah.
MB: Yeah. He promised me and my roommates steaks for getting Tulsi to come in, and we still haven’t gotten our steaks. We text every once in awhile, like “Hello, where’s our steak?”
GF: Yeah, you got to stay on him for that. So I know…
MB: Oh we will. (laughs)
GF: I know you talked about externships, could you describe what you did specifically with yours?
MB: My first one was at a law office and it was cool. But it really helped me learn that I don’t want to be a lawyer. I want to be in actual politics. I, at least I mean, I could see myself doing constitutional law because I love constitutional stuff, but just seeing the people, mmm. That’s people’s actual lives, man. It’s sounds kind of stupid, but I mean, seeing grown men cry about stuff is not something that I ever wanted to deal with on a daily basis, ’cause I don’t think that I would… I, I can’t do that. I just can’t.
GF: That’s definitely tough.
MB: My next one was with Nancy at the State House and that was an awesome time. She literally, since she lives in Daniel Island, she was never really at…she wasn’t in her office when she was at the State House. She would go straight to session. So I didn’t see her every day. It was great ‘cause she was like “This is your office” and would make me sit in the big chair and it was a good time.
Actually one day after she was on Fox, it was the first time she’s on Fox and Friends by herself, I woke up early to watch it and then I went to work. It was great, so it’s cool, ‘cause I woke up early to watch my literal boss on Fox. And then I went to work. And then I saw my boss there and I was like “I love you.” So then, I was, I already started working when she got in there, so I’m sitting in her, at her desk. And she just went sat at one of the little, one of the little chairs in the corner and I was like “Do you want me to move? This is your desk.” She’s like “It’s your desk girl. That’s your desk” and I’m like “Okay.” I just love her.
GF: Aw.
MB: But emails and all that kind of stuff and I get to watch session sometimes, watch her kick butt. It’s a good time.
GF: That’s so cool. So outside of what you did in class and your externships or jobs, did you do any personal civic engagement activities…
MB: Yeah, all the time. (laughs) Whenever there was anything I was there. Even if it was, what’s it called, not things for my specific party technically. I just love all of it anyways. It’s, the MLK Junior Day parade thing in Colombia. I went to that and it was really cool. It was just, the whole thing was impactful, but also it was cool ’cause all the presidential candidates, all the Democrat ones were there and it was really cool. I got to see Tulsi there again too, so it’s good time.
GF: That’s cool. Would you say that your personal political views generally align with the people you grew up around, or have been around?
MB: Generally… my parents never really talked about politics, so I don’t know. I mean, they talk about it now, now that I’m one leading it or whatever, but they didn’t want to ever influence us on how we we felt about it. I didn’t, lowkey I’d say I’m probably further right than my parents and my brother, not in a mean way or in a bad way. I don’t know, it’s what I side with tells me so I don’t know. I guess generally. They’re all on the right it wouldn’t be… They don’t really care, though that’s the main part and my mom’s slightly further left than, definitely more left than me, I don’t know, but generally. Yes, I guess.
GF: So will this election be your first time voting?
MB: It’ll be my third, but my first presidential one. I voted for Tulsi last year. I guess technically it was this year in February, yeah, February primaries. And then I voted for the, what’s it called? I don’t even remember. I think they were primaries. Actually, the Republican primaries for different offices, not for president, obviously, but in June. First presidential one though.
GF: Did you register to vote with the Republican Party?
MB: No, since we’re an open primary state you can’t.
GF: Okay.
MB: But I would have if I could have. I also like to be able to vote and everything, so it’s fun.
GF: How did you hear about the position with Senator Graham and can you just talk to me about how you got that job?
MB: So I actually, there’s a guy that worked there, his name is Mark Benoit. He was in charge kind of at that office. He wasn’t the campaign manager or anything, obviously, but he was in charge of the people in that office and he would, we would have him come in to speak at Teen Republicans all the time. He went to USC and he’s not you… he’s pretty close to our age. He used to work there, so I was in contact with Mark and he let, I think he let me know about it. It was at the beginning of quarantine and he was like, he asked if I knew of anyone that wanted to intern with them right then. So I got a couple people interested with that and then he was like, “And obviously,” he was saying they all had kinds of interviews or stuff and he’s like “Obviously you can work here too, you can intern here later.” I was like, “Can I do it in the fall, ‘cause I don’t really want to right now, ‘cause I’m already working for a campaign right now.”
It’s fun too ‘cause Nancy ran against Senator Graham, a couple years ago. I think 2012. It’s like hehe. But there’s no bad blood there, though I don’t think. Or they’ll say there’s not, so. I don’t know, they hired me. Mark works at the victory office now, which is for the whole state. It’s grassroots stuff signs and all that kind of stuff, that’s cool.
GF: Okay, and so what are your responsibilities in this position?
MB: It kind of changes day by day, whatever is needed. We could be going through envelopes and sorting them with different things you know, if someone puts pasta or something in it, I’m tossing it out. That’s happened to me. I don’t know. Yesterday, I [was] printing stuff and taking pictures. I’m trying to, we have to sign an NDA so I’m trying to not say, just say the amount that I can. And then we have, call nights and stuff, sometimes. And one time the Senator was on Hannity and they were filming it there. We were all able to be there. I was right behind him and so, yeah, I was on Hannity. (laughs) It’s really cool.
GF: That is. So what have you gained or learned so far from this job?
MB: I would say getting better at being on the phone ’cause I’m not great at it. I mean, the other day, a guy yelled at me because he couldn’t hear what I was saying. We were doing a call night and he was like “Hello?” and I was like, I took off my mask and I was like “Oh, I’m sorry. I was talking about, I guess you couldn’t hear me because I had my mask on.” And he’s like “Well, you should have been prepared when you picked up the phone” and I’m like “Okay, I’m so sorry,” but I’m getting better at that. Definitely that and networking in general, just the last time when I volunteered at Senator Graham’s I would just sit in my own room and just go through stuff as quickly as I could and I feel I need to also make friends with people or whatever instead of just sitting there and just silently working. That’s not what you’re totally there for. I mean that’s a lot of it.
GF: And so are there other people your age, would you say that a lot of people your age are working for his campaign?
MB: I mean, there’s lot of people in college. I think a lot of them were seniors. Me and this kid named Jack were freshmen. And I think, I don’t know if there’s any others. They always make fun of us. I think we’re the only ones. Yup. It’s a good time.
GF: From your time working on both Mace’s and Senator Graham’s campaigns, what have you learned about how a campaign runs that you were surprised by?
MB: Well, I was surprised that they were so different. I feel like hers is probably more similar now to his. I’m not, I left after the primary pretty much. Everything kind of changed after that ‘cause the SCGOP got called in there and was funding stuff for Nancy’s and Lindsey’s been doing this for 20 years, at least. It’s very, I don’t know, strategic, they have everything perfectly laid out how you’re supposed to do things exactly with Lindsey’s and, I mean, they do too 100% with the Mace campaign but it was just totally different. And there’s so many people with Lindsey too. There are so many interns and so many people working and it’s just crazy. So yeah, definitely that.
GF: Do you think that there have been changes in how he’s had to run his campaign against, Lindsey or I’m sorry, Jaime Harrison?
MB: Yes and no. I think that with the state of South Carolina, I think it’s like that with Nancy’s too, with her district. I know that it’s like that with her district. I think in general, a lot of Republicans are… there’s some kind of, I wouldn’t say a split in the Republican party, but also I definitely would because there’s a lot that are, would never vote for Trump. So if Lindsey or Nancy, same thing, side with Trump and stuff, people, those people get mad and then if he doesn’t or she doesn’t, then other people would get mad. It’s just a whole, him trying to, him trying to figure out, I guess what people want but also Lindsey just does Lindsey. (laughs) So I don’t even know what’s expected at this point.
But I think that the, I mean, I was a little stressed because it’s just the amount that Jaime Harrison’s raised, even though 93% of it does come from out of the state with 40 of it just from California, which is crazy. That actually kind of gives me a little bit of hope. Not hope, but I don’t know. It makes me feel good cause it’s like, well, 93% of his funding can’t even vote. So it’s like, what? I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going to happen with that. I really don’t. But I think it is interesting. ‘Cause I feel like these races are almost run like presidential campaigns just because of the amount of out of state money that they get… Because people will donate to Lindsey because he’s Lindsey and people will donate to Jaime because he’s not Lindsey, even though he’s not nationally known as well yet. I’m not saying you won’t be, I’m just saying he’s not, he’s never really held an office yet. He’s you know, but it’s really just really interesting on that front.
GF: In your experience, how do you think South Carolina politics compare to those of the rest of the country?
MB: I think there’s just so many different things. I think that every state has, I guess different issues that they care about. I know for off the coast, for example, there’s a lot of people, Republicans and Democrats, that are against offshore drilling. I think in other states, I don’t know, if we were randomly in Utah or something, I don’t think that they would care as much about offshore drilling. They’d be like, “Whatever, do it, don’t do it.” Or they’d probably be like “Do it!” ‘cause it doesn’t affect them as much.
I don’t remember even when I was talking about, I don’t know, and even the fact that we have open primaries, so you can just go and vote for whoever you want no matter what, I think that really changes things too because 26 states don’t have it like that. So the ones that do, you can just, I remember at the beginning of when the Democrat primary was for president, there was some people that were trying to be like “All Republicans, go out and vote for Bernie so that it’s easier to beat or whatever.” And I’m like, “That’s stupid.” Let’s just vote for the who the best person is in every election. Can we just do that? You know, but it’s their prerogative, to vote for who they want to vote for, I guess. So I think that definitely changes things a lot.
GF: Yeah. What would you personally consider the most important issues in this presidential election?
MB: In this election, I know which ones are going to be the main issues and which ones are already the main issues, but I just, I don’t know. I think that some kind of, I’m not all in on all that stuff, but, I think that some kind of police reform would be a good idea to focus on for both parties, because let me remember this keeps happening in an election year. I remember in 2016, there was just all of this race stuff then after election year, after it’s over it’s just gone. And I just would rather have a permanent fix to all of that. I think that’d be a way better idea.
I think, what’s it called, immigration. It hasn’t been a thing that people really talked about I feel like in this election, but I think that making it easier to immigrate legally would be a way better, a good idea. That should be something that’s talked about. But I mean obviously with COVID and all this stuff that’s going on, it makes sense that those are the main things, but I don’t know. There are other things that will exist after COVID that we need to focus on instead of, “Well you did this badly” or “You would’ve done this badly” or whatever. ‘Cause it’s a frigging global pandemic. No one knew what was going to happen. That’s kind of the whole thing here. It’s whatever.
GF: I know you mentioned COVID, so how would you say that COVID has shaped the election? Not only as an issue that people talk about, but just in general.
MB: Well, I mean, I think it’s made it entirely different. ‘Cause I mean now it’s a bad thing or whatever, if you’ve got a big rally and then it’s, well, what else are you going to do? And then you got Joe over here with his little people sitting in circles, which is, it’s fine. And actually cautious, which is probably a good idea. It’s just totally different with all of that definitely. And then so much online. I know there have been a lot of different fundraisers and stuff held over Zooms, not exactly Zoom, but basically. I worked with a few of them and it’s just totally different than it would be.
GF: Do you think people will continue to do stuff online, not necessarily rallies, but just politics in general after this is over?
MB: I definitely think so. I mean, even with having the Zoom- esque kind of things online, it gives more constituents, really an opportunity to talk one-on-one with the candidate. I think that’s really important. And I think that’s a good idea and we will continue, hopefully not anywhere near the scale that it’s at right now. ‘Cause I think everyone’s about ready to just have everything back to normal as soon as we can do that safely, obviously, but ready to be back doing some normal, I don’t know. I’m ready to do nothing online, but I’m sure that’ll continue.
GF: That’s good. Yeah. Do you think, so obviously this year is different than past years, but just this election in particular, do you think it’s any more important or different than recent elections in your lifetime?
MB: Well, I think people literally every single election are like “This is the most important election.” And it’s literally every single one. I don’t know. I mean, I think it’s an election. I’d like my candidate to win, but at the end of the day, it’s an election. I don’t know it’s… No, I’d say it’s pretty important. I take that back, it’s very important, because if Trump doesn’t win the Senate Democrats are probably going to try to end the filibuster. I’m assuming they would get rid of Amy Coney Barrett. I don’t think that she’s going to get through, freaking that wouldn’t make any sense as long- I mean, unless they get her through before the election, which is possible, but I don’t know.
I guess even if just the Democrats get the Senate, Trump’s going to be impeached, impeached. Which is, I think BS. If he does something impeachable then yeah, sure I get that. That’s totally, I’m behind you all the way. If he does something impeachable. But if not, then it’s like, let’s not make impeachment a political move, please. That’s really stupid. I don’t think the Supreme Court should be politicized, either, but both parties do it. That’s just how it is now, I guess.
[An aside] (Oh, sorry, bugs in my face. (laughter) I don’t remember what I was saying, bug in my face scared me. I don’t know what I was saying.)
GF: That’s okay. What do you think about the media coverage of this election cycle?
MB: (laughter) Fake news. Yes, but also so at Senator Graham’s they have Fox going literally all day long in the room where the interns usually are. [An aside] I watch so much of that and I feel like it’s really divisive just in general the way that the media covers everything. Both sides are. I’m not just saying “CNN blah blah blah.” Well, Fox does it too. I do feel like I was saying yesterday I do think Fox does actually a pretty good job of balancing things out because they have people like Juan and Donna Brazil, I don’t remember his last name, but Donna Brazil and all kinds of other people that are obviously on the left, but can actually hold their own in the debate about stuff. It’s not like they just pull people on that are going to say something stupid just to make the Republicans sound better. They actually, I feel like try, and I think that’s really well done most of the time.
Sometimes people get cut off and I’m like, “Okay, let’s not do that.” I feel like both sides, it’s just so politicized I didn’t think that, I mean, we thought the media was politicized in 2016. I think we’re just all used to it now, as Trump said in the debate last night “I’m used to it now.” I don’t know. I don’t know that either side should be unless it’s like a political commentator or whatever, that’s what they do, which is basically all of them now. I think we should have more, I don’t know, “hard news” isn’t the right term. That’s about places or whatever, but more actual facts instead of “Let’s call this person sleepy Joe” and this person, I don’t even know what they call Trump or the other ones most of the time ’cause it annoys me. Fox does too so I only watch the news as much as I can get away with, but I don’t even know. Just it’s crazy the politicization of both of them is to me crazy.
GF: Have you experienced any of that polarization personally?
MB: People being it to me, or me being in the news?
GF: Either.
MB: I’m currently on this thing called macefacts.com that Joe Cunningham made and talked about in his debate, and it’s a picture from her Election Day party in June. And it was right after she won, it’s a picture of me and her and a couple other people and it’s great ‘cause no one’s wearing a mask, we’re all hugging. But they wouldn’t know that me and two of the other people that are right near her or her kids and I literally was also at her house. It’s not anything crazy that would be not… that and then there’s definitely a very contentious debate I got into last year at the center. I tried not to debate people that much right now at least. I don’t really know people well enough to go off. I was, I don’t even know.
I think also, so on our whiteboards in our dorm people write political things on theirs or on different people’s, on their own, obviously. My roommate and I had Trump 2020 on ours, and it’s been erased so many times. Other people get theirs erased and comment in the GroupMe like “I can’t believe that somebody blah blah blah” and I’m like okay. The people across from us, they had the black lives matter hand thing on theirs and apparently someone erased it. Alli, my roommate, went over there and re-drew it for them, which is like so nice. But people just like erase ours all the time, and we’ve never made a comment about it, ’cause we’re not the kind of people, but it’s annoying.
GF: Have you seen your peers become more politically active in recent times?
MB: I feel like since 2016, I think a lot of people our age have been a lot more politically active than ever before, I would argue. I wonder if it has to do with, I’m sure the celebrities have been involved with this stuff forever, but I think that it’s been a lot more widespread with that recently, since 2016, about 2016. I think that really probably played a role because politics is in pop culture now and that’s just kind of, I mean, young kids, young kids, uh why am I 80? People like pop culture. If politics is what that is and also it’s probably just interesting, ’cause watching Trump and Joe Biden debate is like watching an SNL skit and it’s so sad. It’s also really funny. I think it’s just people are just, I don’t know, more involved now. ’cause of all that, I think it’s also been made easier, I know the Democrat Party also has, especially done a really good job about getting the youth involved with campaigning and going to events, all that kind of stuff. The Republican party is working on that. I think we’re getting better, but the Democrats are definitely really good about that.
GF: So, do you predict a higher voter turnout this year because of all that?
MB: I don’t know, so I think it could really be because of COVID too, so I don’t really know. It depends on how people do the mail-in ballots, and how many ballots get lost. We’ve already seen tons of them end up in trash cans and stuff which is a mess for either side. I’m not saying that because… I’m not saying ’cause it had Trump. I really, I think it’s a bad thing no matter who that said it was for. I think it’ll be really interesting to see, I really will. Likely also a lot of, I don’t know ’cause people don’t really want to go out to vote because they think it’s unsafe or whatever. Well then they won’t. I think that hopefully people will do it, at least mail-in or something. I don’t know. It really will be interesting to see, I feel like it might be lower than 2016 lowkey ‘cause also people don’t seem to really feel… I feel like it’s a lot like 2016 in that people aren’t really loving either candidate. A lot of people are, some people are, but anyways, but a lot of people aren’t. It’s more of the lesser of two evils thing again, and I think that people are getting sick of that, so I’m not sure voter turnout will be the same or possibly more, but I don’t know. I feel like it might be less.
GF: And so other than obviously the presidency, who gets that is really important, but what do you think would be the most important outcome of the 2020 election?
MB: I think Republicans have to hold the Senate. If they lose it, the filibuster dies, which makes me so sad. I love filibusters. (laughs) They’re just, they’re just so great. So if they lose the Senate then that dies. If Trump wins and we lose the Senate and they keep the House, he’s getting impeached and removed like that. It’s going to be pretty immediate and I really hate saying that ’cause it’s seems like I’m just making it up, it’s true. It’s true. Nancy just freaking throws around impeachment like I don’t even know what. I mean the other day she even mentioned it when she was saying if he tries to get a Supreme Court nominee right now that she’s going to impeach him again or something, like girl stop. He’s well within his constitutional bounds, read Article 3, Section 2. Just chill out, it’s fine. I’m (unintelligible speech at 43:22) about that issue, but technically it is constitutional, so can it.
GF: So if you had to choose a couple events or trends from this election cycle, what do you think would make it into history books?
MB: Corona. (laughs) That in itself ’cause everything’s been so, so different. And then let’s see. I mean, I guess technically if Joe Biden won. He would have the first female vice president, so that would be cool, I guess. I don’t like Kamala but whatever, it would be cool I guess. I don’t even know. And just also I’m going to go back into the debate last night I didn’t even finish watching it. I really didn’t and I love watching those things. I really do. But I couldn’t do it. It was just sad. They were both talking over each other, talking over Chris, Chris was yelling at them. It was bad. It just, it wasn’t what I wanted to see, honestly. I mean it’s still what I expected and parts of it were funny but then when you think about it the moderator can’t control the two people on stage, and that’s insane. I think that would be a lot of it, probably. ‘Cause we’ve still got two more debates happening and I would be surprised they were not like that.
GF: So I know you mentioned earlier that when you were younger, your dream job was president. So what is or would you say currently is your dream job?
MB: I mean, I guess for my dream job that still fits the ticket, but realistic job. I don’t know. Working on a campaign, possibly campaign manager at some point would be really cool. I’d like to be the person that’s actually running or whatever, but I don’t know. I don’t know, where I’m going to end up. I don’t know where I need to have connections so, we’ll see, though. I don’t know.
GF: So do you have, that was all the questions I had for right now. But do you have anything else to add about the 2020 election or your experience with politics?
MB: No. I don’t think so. I’m trying to think a little bit. I don’t know.
GF: Okay. Well, thank you so much for doing this with me. I’m going to send you a follow up email with a release form that will tell you where this interview is going to be. And I have to ask for a picture so if you could send me one that would be great. But thank you.
MB: I could say that, but not right now. (laughs)