Mallory McMorrow on her viral speech that electrified progressive America

If you’ve valued reading The Signorile Report, consider becoming a paid subscriber and supporting independent, ad-free opinion journalism. Thanks!State Senator Mallory McMorrow of Michigan last week dropped a bomb on the GOP’s vicious attacks on Democrats as “groomers” and sexual predators because they stand up against bills targeting minorities. Her floor speech then went viral. And she provided a blueprint for Democrats moving into the midterms and energized progressives all across the country. In an interview on my SiriusXM program days later, McMorrow explained that her response didn’t actually begin with her righteous anger over a fundraising email pitch by Republican senator Lana Theis that targeted McMorrow by name as a “groomer,” as has been reported.It really started she said, a week prior, when Theis gave an eyebrow-raising prayer at the start of the Senate’s session. An invocation isn’t out of the ordinary, McMorrow pointed out — it “generally is something to set the tone” of the work legislators will do together. But what struck McMorrow as ugly was the content of the prayer this time. She used a prayer to plead with God for protection because our children are under attack from dark forces that would have them hear and know and see things against their parents will. And it was such a thinly-veiled replica of language like Florida’s “Don’t say gay” bill that I walked out with few of my other colleagues. Cut to a week later, she decided to single me out in a fundraising email and accuse me of grooming children, kindergarteners, supporting pedophilia and sexualization of children, and making eight-year-olds feel like they were responsible for slavery. And it was just gut-wrenching to see that. McMorrow had a lot to say in our interview, both about how Republicans are demonizing Democrats and how Democrats need to respond. This week the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee sent out a fundraising email written by McMorrow — and it was their most successful pitch of the year. McMorrow is a young leader, a suburban mom who embraces her faith and is not afraid of the GOP attacks, as so many Democrats appear to be. She said the Republican strategy to attack teachers, LGBTQ people, the teaching of history on racism in schools and to demonize all Democrats are all thing to which Democrats must forcefully respond.It’s no longer a fringe idea or a conspiracy theory. It’s real. It’s a real strategy being used by one of our major political parties in this country….Call out the nonsense. Because the issues the Republicans are putting forward are non-issues. They’re made up. They’re making up issues to scare and fearmonger and scapegoat to avoid taking on any real issues. Because putting forth policy in government is really hard.Listen in to the full interview, and let me know your thoughts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.signorile.com/subscribe