‘Republicans often racialize poverty. Democrats often run from poverty’

MacArthur “genius” grantee, founder of Repairers of the Breach, and organizer of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, Rev. William J Barber II has made eradicating poverty his life’s work. He sits down with host Mary C. Curtis for a candid and surprising conversation.

What’s in a name? Identity, pride and love. Ask Kamala Harris

Every person’s name is special. It demands respect.

I learned how seriously I felt about that at a pre-coronavirus conference, when a speaker who fancied himself Don Rickles but came off more like the rude uncle at a holiday party, prefaced his remarks with a self-styled roast. It supposedly poked “fun” at the attendees, including, apparently, those he barely knew. (And frankly, except for an occasional greeting at conferences past, I did not know this man from a can of paint.)

Mary C. Curtis: Candidates Try to Close Deal in North Carolina

CHARLOTTE, NC — Less than 2 weeks until election day and both campaigns are making their rounds to key states including, North Carolina.

WCCB political contributor Mary C. Curtis talks about the candidates final push ahead of November 3rd.

POLITICAL WRAP: Candidates in North Carolina; Final Presidential Debate

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two weeks and two days until the November 3rd election.

Millions across the country have already voted early, including more than 98,000 people in Mecklenburg County.

The candidates are in our area this week, fighting for any voters who remain undecided.

President Trump will hold a rally in Gastonia on Wednesday, while former Vice President Joe Biden spent the day Sunday in Durham.

Our political contributor Mary C. Curtis has more in the video above.

Local News Roundup: COVID-19 Numbers Up In NC; Vance High Gets New Name; Early Voting; Remembering Judy Williams

On the next Charlotte Talks Local News Roundup:

North Carolina’s coronavirus numbers are creeping back up under Phase 3, and state Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen urges residents to remain vigilant, stating that she’s no longer able to pinpoint a specific location or cause, and that “this virus is everywhere.”

CMS begins its first round of in-person classes this week as Pre-K students return to school. We’ll get an update on how that went as well as other CMS news, including the week’s COVID-19 numbers and the renaming of Vance High School.

Early voting started this week in North Carolina, and candidates are descending on Charlotte and other locations around the state. We’ll give an update on all things “election,” including how potential voters are responding to news of the scandal in Cal Cunningham’s campaign, and record money raised by South Carolina candidate for U.S. Senate Jaime Harrison.

And we remember Judy Williams, the co-founder of Mothers of Murdered Offspring and anti-violence advocate in Charlotte who supported countless families of murder victims. She died last week after a battle with lung cancer.

Mike Collins and our roundtable of reporters bring the week’s top news in the local news roundup.

Guests:

Erik Spanberg, managing editor for the Charlotte Business Journal.

Glenn Burkins, founder and publisher of qcitymetro.com.

Ann Doss Helms, WFAE’s Education Reporter.

Mary C. Curtis, columnist for Rollcall.com, host of the Rollcall podcast “Equal Time” and contributor at WCCB-TV.

Mary C. Curtis: Key Takeaways From Confirmation Hearings

CHARLOTTE, NC — Wednesday marks day three of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee judge Amy Coney Barrett. WCCB political contributor Mary C. Curtis discusses the key takeaways so far.

POLITICAL WRAP: Debate Over The Next Debate; President Trump Returns to Campaign Trail

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – It appears next week’s Presidential Town Hall Debate won’t happen, after the Debate Commission decided to make it virtual, without consulting the candidates.

So is President Trump making the right decision to turn down the virtual debate and hit the campaign trail instead?

Our political contributor Mary C. Curtis has more in the video above

The Heat: U.S. vice presidential debate

Compared to last week’s presidential debate filled with interruptions, Wednesday’s encounter between Vice President Mike Pence and the challenger – Senator Kamala Harris – was relatively civil.

Then earlier today, shortly after debate organizers announced the next presidential debate would now be virtual – President Trump said he would no longer participate.

CGTN’s White House correspondent Nathan King has the details.

To discuss:

  • Jadan Horyn is a writer and conservative commentator.
  • Mary C. Curtis is a columnist for “Roll Call’ and host of the “Equal Time” podcast.
  • Joel Rubin is democratic strategist
  • Amy Holmes is a writer for HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” and a columnist from the Swiss weekly, “Die Weltwoche.”

Joe Biden, Clarence Thomas and Amy Coney Barrett with Angela Wright

It is not everyday that one person has a relationship to so many of the day’s main news stories, but Angela Wright has touched history as the woman not called to support Anita Hill when she testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee during Clarence Thomas’ confirmation hearings almost 30 years ago. Wright talks to Mary C. Curtis about former Vice President Joe Biden, #MeToo and the inner workings of a contentious Supreme Court battle.

The ‘invisible’ people who pay the price for Trump’s COVID malpractice

Despite the late nights and long hours that took my father away more than this daddy’s girl would have liked, he never stopped being my hero. I knew that when he finished his day job, changed clothes and headed to his extra shifts tending bar or waiting tables for local caterers, he was doing it for a reason. Lots of them, actually —my mom, two sisters, two brothers and me.

For someone as proud as he was, it was a sacrifice because of what he had to put up with from people with a lot more money and a lot less character. They treated him like he was “invisible,” or worse, and he put up with it, for us.

What he did not have to do is endure the recklessness of a boss who willfully and deliberately exposed him to a deadly virus in the name of politics.

But others very much like him do.