Keller @ Large: Rep. Joe Kennedy III On How Democrats Should Deal With Trump Administration
BOSTON (CBS) -- There's a debate going on within the Democratic Party over how to deal with President Donald Trump's administration.
One camp argues all-out aggressive resistance on all fronts is the only way to go. Others say you can't just be the party of "no"--you've got to pick your battles and look for ways to work with Republicans.
Rep. Joe Kennedy III told WBZ political analyst Jon Keller this week that Democrats have to fight back on issues of people's identity and dignity, but not on every single issue.
"When it comes to issues we've seen Donald Trump attack already, issues around the dignity of every single person, it should not matter in this country your gender, who you love, what god you believe in, your ethnicity, where you came from," said Kennedy. "We fight back tooth and nail on every single affront that he brings up, that his administration brings up."
But he added that the underlying message from the result of the 2016 election was that a lot of people are hurting, and feel like their government wasn't listening to them.
"If Democrats, if the country refuses to acknowledge that message, we're going to be in real trouble," he said.
Rep. Kennedy said he hasn't been very encouraged by Trump's first week in office and the executive orders he has signed.
"The idea that your first executive order was going to target health insurance for 30 million Americans ... it's hurtful, it's not the right way to start," he said.
Keller and Kennedy also discussed Rep. Seth Moulton's criticism of Gov. Charlie Baker.
You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.