It sounds kind of crazy, but this doesn’t seem like an April Fools joke to us.
On Friday, Rosario Dawson was taking part in a round table alongside Michelle Alexander and Tessa Thompson during a Harlem town hall hosted by Bernie Sanders‘ campaign.
Photos: Find Out Which Candidates Your Favorite Celebs Support!
While she was there, the Daredevil star began discussing President Obama, and how she believes the American people lost faith in our elected leader very early on, saying:
“They all organized and they thought that they had their guy, their one person. But within two months of him becoming president, people lost faith.”
But the weird part is why she thinks our current Commander-In-Chief stopped being supported by his constituents.
The brunette beauty explained that she feels the President didn’t utilize Twitter as much as he should have — and discussed why it was important for him to mobilize voters with social media platforms like that to oppose the Republican Party obstructionism Obama experienced throughout his entire presidential term.
She added:
“To his due credit ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ Twitter had only just had its 10-year anniversary ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ I don’t think he really fully appreciated the organization that was possible that could continue after getting the seat. To say that was all obstructionism is complete fallacy because he had presented to the House. He didn’t continue with the momentum that got him there.”
Listen to her full statement (below):
People were up in arms about the comments, though, assuming it was just Dawson blasting Obama.
The actress then took to Twitter to clarify her comments, posting:
#myreference This was reflected in 70+ yr record low voter turnout for 2014 midterms & now the DNC votes are low… https://t.co/OXlYexd1fO
— Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) April 1, 2016
She also caught the attention of MTV‘s senior national correspondent, Jamil Smith, who SLAMMED her statement, saying:
Curious how @rosariodawson slamming Obama at a Harlem women’s forum helps Sanders, regardless whether she meant that thing about Twitter.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
The 36-year-old fired back:
Wasn’t “slamming” POTUS- that’s your spin, love. Hope that wasn’t the only thing you got from the discussion… #doyouofcourse @JamilSmith
— Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) April 1, 2016
So the journalist posed a question for the gorgeous gal:
Hardly. But was your comment not critical of Obama, if not harshly so? Honest question. https://t.co/Qw4WrGD8za
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
The Bernie supporter answered:
My whole point about Twitter was that we’re only truly seeing now how people can continue to be engaged/mobilized. POTUS under- @JamilSmith
— Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) April 1, 2016
-standably tried to reach across the isle when he went into office but he didn’t have to. He had us. We would have helped. That- @JamilSmith
— Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) April 1, 2016
-is the opportunity we know and appreciate now. POTUS & FLOTUS are masters at that now. But momentum was lost then which turned- @JamilSmith
— Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) April 1, 2016
unfortunately into the obstruction we still suffer from today. @BernieSanders dominates on social media (def not corporate)- @JamilSmith
— Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) April 1, 2016
-clearly seeing the impact. We know that #Bernie is going to take us to the WH w him from the get. We all learned from the past. @JamilSmith
— Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) April 1, 2016
But this controversial conversation was FAR from over:
I appreciate the response, @rosariodawson. (Attaching your full quote, via @GideonResnick.) We disagree somewhat. pic.twitter.com/3t8R8MAYeS
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
1. Granted, Obama should’ve better fueled his ’08 support into movement politics, @rosariodawson. It may have strengthened his initiatives.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
2. That said, @rosariodawson, I disagree entirely with your assertion that it fueled GOP obstructionism. Or that Twitter would’ve helped.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
3. Sanders has engaged in a movement politics that may be more permanent, @rosariodawson. But I give credit to the people, not the guy.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
4. To me, it’s less about Obama’s failure to seize social-media tools to organize, @rosariodawson, than it is a sign the left has grown.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
5. As @anildash is noting, @rosariodawson, there were policy reasons why the Obama social outreach didn’t happen. Take it for what you will.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
6. But again, @rosariodawson, Republican obstructionism was going to be there, no matter the social-media pressure from Obama’s supporters.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
7. It’s why, @rosariodawson, I find real fault with Sanders’s “look out the window” construction, quoted here. https://t.co/JORPJMZyZD
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
8. Republicans will laugh in President Sanders’s face if he tells them to look out at protesters, @rosariodawson. That isn’t how this works.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
9. I see movement politics (as BLM and others have demonstrated) flourishing outside of electoral politics, @rosariodawson, since ’08.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
10. Perhaps you’re right, @rosariodawson, and a Sanders presidency shows us that movement politics can integrate with a White House agenda.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
11. However, @rosariodawson, I have some serious doubts about how Sanders plans to use the movement he’s building were he to be elected.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
12. I hope, @rosariodawson, that Sanders supporters demand a real agenda for integrating the very movement he’s building. I hope he has one.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
13. I’d love to continue this conversation, @rosariodawson, and I appreciate you giving me a better idea of where you were coming from.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
14. Sadly, @rosariodawson, I have a deadline that I’m ignoring right now, so back to work. I hope we can keep can stay in touch about this.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
Rosario responded:
You don’t think continuing to mobilize people online or otherwise could have increased voter turnout & prevented losing- @JamilSmith
— Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) April 1, 2016
-Dem majority? That’s all I meant by the Twitter example. He was called a terrorist for 2 yrs be4 becoming POTUS. He needed us. @JamilSmith
— Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) April 1, 2016
So, Jamil said:
I hear you, @rosariodawson, but I don’t think any amount of organizing would’ve prevented the racism Obama faced, or the Tea Party’s rise.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 1, 2016
DAYUM!
What are UR thoughts on all the political and digital drama, Perezcious readers?
[Image via FayesVision/WENN.]
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