Michael Beschloss, NBC News’s historian, made a comical warning about the dangers that Republicans might win next week’s election after President Joe Biden’s Wednesday speech. He feared that “our children” would be killed and that historians might not be able to speak truthfully about current events.
Chris Hayes, MSNBC host, spoke with the liberal historian on the All In program. After praising President Obama’s speech, and warning of possible violence.
50 years from now, a historian — if historians can write it in this nation and if there are still free publishing houses which I am not sure of — but if true, a historian would say, What was at stake tonight and every week is the fact that we will be a democracy in future, and whether our children will be taken into custody and possibly killed. We are on the brink of a brutal authoritarian regime, and it could be just a week away.
Even Hayes, a stridently liberal man, seemed surprised by such a dark prediction. He replied: “You really think it is a week away?
Beschloss made the latest Hitler comparison:
Perhaps because of the safeguards that protect democracy. It being possible to vote out someone who is not up to standard. Instead, we see what we see today — for example, you were very rightly mentioning the candidate for governor in Wisconsin saying, “Electe me governor — Republicans are always elected henceforth to our state.”
You know what? Hitler and Mussolini didn’t even bother to mention that, but in 1934, Mussolini won an election. How did it turn out? Well, Mussolini’s party won 99 percent of the vote — 1936, Hitler’s party entered an election he called free, fair, and which was a corrupt fraud. Hitler’s party won with 98% of the vote. This is what happens in autocracies and it can happen very quickly.
After the liberal historian had finished his commentary, Hayes invited Senator Amy Klobuchar (D–MN) to join him. He disassociated himself from some of Beschloss’s flaky analysis and said: “I don’t want to be sanguine nor naive. I believe my — my — mine — my modal prediction of things is a bit better than that, I hope. That’s not the worst-case scenario.
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Below is the transcript. Click “expand” for more information:
MSNBC’s All In With Chris Hayes
November 2, 2022
8:08 p.m. Eastern
MICHAEL BESCHLOSS – NBC NEWS PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: He was completely candid and he was absolutely correct because — as Chris knows — six nights from now we could be discussing violence across the country. There are some signs that this may happen, may God forbid. Fraudulent election officers, secretary of state candidates, governors, or state legislatures will declare winners and declare losers winners. We could be six days from losing our rule-of-law and losing an environment where we can all trust the elections.
(…)
A historian 50 years hence — if historians can write it in this country, and if there are still free publishing houses and free press which I’m not sure of — but if true, a historian would say that what was at stake tonight is whether or not we will have democracy in the future, and whether or not our children will be arrested, and possibly killed. We are on the brink of a brutal authoritarian regime, and it could be just a week away.
CHRIS HAYES – You think it’s only a week away?
BESCHLOSS: Perhaps, because, you’re aware, what are the safeguards to protect our democracy? It being possible to vote out someone who is a misbehaving person in elections. Instead, we see what we see today — for example, you were very rightly mentioning the candidate for governor in Wisconsin saying, “Electe me governor — Republicans will always win henceforth.” You know that Hitler and Mussolini didn’t even bother to mention this, yet in 1934 Mussolini won an election. How did it turn out? Well, Mussolini’s party won 99 percent of the vote — 1936, Hitler’s party entered an election he called free, fair, and which was a corrupt fraud. Hitler’s party won with 98% of the vote. This is what happens in autocracies and it can happen very quickly.
(…)
There is at most a small chance that violence could break out in this country during the week following the election. I hope that it doesn’t happen. The difference between 1871-1899 is that groups that wanted violence against black people didn’t have social networks. They couldn’t communicate with each other, conspire, or aggravate one another. Now that social media is available, all these groups across the United States can instantly connect with each other and plan something national that could prove to be very dangerous. This would be contrary to what you and me would consider a peaceful democracy. I hope that this never happens again.
HAYES: Michael Beschloss, it’s all right. Sobering.
BESCHLOSS: Thank you, Chris.
HAYES: Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, is joining me now. I’m not sanguine or naive. I believe my — my — I hope my modal prediction for the future is a little brighter than that. That’s a worst-case scenario.
