Valerie Jarrett: You Can't Give Up On Our Democracy (Exclusive) | Morning Joe

>>> VALERIE JARRETT WAS RARELY MORE THAN A FEW STEPS AWAY FROM
PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR ALL EIGHT YEARS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION.
AND NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME SHE'S REVEALING DETAILS ABOUT THE TIME
IN WASHINGTON AND WHAT THE 44th PRESIDENT PLANS TO DO NOW THAT
HE'S LEFT THE OVAL OFFICE. I SAT DOWN WITH THE FORMER
SENIOR ADVISER AND ASKED ABOUT ELECTION NIGHT 2016.
>> WE HAD EIGHT YEARS THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING OUR COUNTRY
AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL AND PART OF OUR DEMOCRACY IS YOU HAND THE
BATON ON. SO I THINK I HAVE ADJUSTED AHEAD
OF TIME TO WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE, AND IT MADE IT A LITTLE
SMOOTHER. >> BUT IT WAS ROUGH?
>> YEAH. >> THERE WERE SOME ROUGH --
ELECTION NIGHT, WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU?
>> WELL, IT WAS, I THINK, GUT WRENCHING IS HOW I DESCRIBED IT.
BUT THAT'S OUR DEMOCRACY AND THEN YOU HAVE TO JUST MOVE ON
AND FIGURES OUT HOW YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU CARE
MOST ABOUT AND FOR ME, IT'S ISSUES LIKE GENDER EQUALITY AND
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND HELPING ADVOCATE FOR CIVIL
RIGHTS AND GETTING YOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN PICKING UP THAT
BATON, SO THERE'S STILL A LOT OF IMPORTANT WORK LEFT TO DO.
>> I STILL, THOUGH, WONDER LIKE,
IS THERE ANY FLASH IN TIME, ELECTION NIGHT OR IN THE DAYS
AFTER, GOD, I SAW SOME BRUTAL PICTURES OF SOME REALLY
DEVASTATED FACES, COULD YOU EVER HAVE IMAGINED AND WAS THERE A
MOMENT WHEN YOU REALIZED THE NEXT PRESIDENT IS GOING TO BE
THE MAN WHO ROSE TO POWER ON THE BIRTHER MOVEMENT, OF ALL THINGS?
>> YOU KNOW -- >> OF ALL PEOPLE?
>> ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. IT'S PART OF WHY PRESIDENT OBAMA
WORKED SO HARD DURING THE CAMPAIGN AND SO WHEN PEOPLE SHOW
YOU WHO THEY ARE YOU CAN'T BE SURPRISED WHEN THEY ACTUALLY
THEN CONTINUE TO FULFILL WHAT THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DO.
WE KNEW WHAT WAS AT STAKE HERE, WHICH IS AGAIN, WHY WE WORKED SO
HARD, BUT YOU -- YOU CAN'T JUST THROW UP YOUR HANDS AND GIVE UP
ON OUR DEMOCRACY. YOU IS TO SAY WHAT MORE CAN I DO
TO CONTINUE TO BE THAT FORCE FOR GOOD.
>> WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU WISHED YOU KNEW WHEN YOU WALKED
IN THE DOOR THAT YOU KNOW HOW AFTER BEING OUT THE DOOR EIGHT
YEARS IN? >> AS YOU HEARD PRESIDENT OBAMA
SAY BEFORE HE LEFT, ONE OF HIS BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS WAS THIS
TOXIC NATURE IN WASHINGTON AND HOW I THINK THE REPUBLICANS
DECIDED VERY EARLY ON FROM DAY ONE, THAT THEY WERE GOING TO PUT
THEIR SHORT-TERM POLITICAL INTERESTS AHEAD OF WHAT WAS GOD
FOR THEIR COUNTRY. WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA TOOK OFFICE
WE WERE LOSING 750,000, 800,000 JOBS A MONTH, THE UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE UP TO 10%. WOULDN'T YOU THINK THAT'S A TIME
WHERE PEOPLE WOULD SAY LET'S COME TOGETHER AND TRY TO SOLVE
THESE BIG PROBLEMS. I THINK I JUST DIDN'T FULLY
APPRECIATE COMING IN JUST HOW THE ENTRENCHED SPECIAL INTERESTS
WOULD HOLD ON WITH A STRANGLEHOLD TO THAT STATUS QUO
AND THAT CHANGE, IT WAS TERRIFYING TO THEM AND IT MEANT
GIVING UP POWER AND PUTTING IT BACK IN THE HANDS OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THERE WAS A LOT OF RESISTANCE TO THAT.
>> IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE AN IMPACT POST-WHITE HOUSE IS THERE
A POLITICAL FUTURE FOR YOU? THERE WAS ONCE POTENTIAL SENATE
RUN? >> I HOPE WE CAN ALL CONTINUE TO
BE FORCES FOR GOOD AFTER LEAVING THE WHITE HOUSE.
YOU DON'T -- YOUR LIFE HOPEFULLY DOESN'T END.
FOR ME THE PASSIONS AND ISSUES I CARE SO MUCH ABOUT ARE ONES THAT
LEND THEMSELVES TO WORK WHETHER YOU'RE IN GOVERNMENT OR OUTSIDE
OF GOVERNMENT AND I'M GOING TO DEVOTE MYSELF TO THEM.
WHAT I'M MORE INTERESTED IN IS TO THE POINT THAT YOU WERE
GETTING TO ABOUT RUNNING FOR OFFICE TO HELP SOME YOUNG PEOPLE
RUN FOR OFFICE, TRYING TO FIND THAT NEXT GENERATION.
>> YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE NEXT GENERATION?
>> I WANT TO HELP GET PEOPLE TO APPRECIATE THE IMPACT THEY CAN
HAVE IF THEY GET IN AND WHETHER THEY RUN FOR OFFICE OR SERVE IN
THE PUBLIC SECTOR. I STARTED MY CAREER WORKING AT
LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN CHICAGO AND I LEARNED SO MUCH THERE THAT
HELPED SHAPE MY ATTITUDE WHEN I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IN
THE WHITE HOUSE. ENCOURAGING THE NEXT GENERATION
IS WHERE MY HEART IS. >> WHAT ABOUT ENCOURAGING YOUR
FRIEND MICHELE? >> I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WOULD
BE FRUITFUL. I WOULD ENCOURAGE HER TO BE A
FORCE FOR GOOD, SHE DOESN'T NEED MUCH FOR THAT, SHE WAS AN
EXTRAORDINARY FIRST LADY, BUT I DON'T THINK SHE WANTS TO RUN FOR
OFFICE. I THINK SHE APPRECIATES SHE HAS
THIS EXTRAORDINARY PLATFORM, AS DOES HER HUSBAND, THEY'RE YOUNG,
THEY'RE VERY POPULAR, THE PRESIDENT LEFT OFFICE WITH VERY
HIGH APPROVAL RATINGS AS IS IT SHE, AND HOW DO YOU TAKE THAT
AND GALVANIZE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, CITIZENS, TO ACTUALLY
WORK TO SOLVE SOME OF THE BIG CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD.
THOSE ARE SOLUTION THAT DO NOT HAVE TO BEGIN IN WASHINGTON.
THEY CAN BEGIN AROUND OUR COUNTRY.
AND I THINK BOTH OF THEM ARE COMMITTED TO THAT.
>> WHEN YOU SEE THE ATTACKS ON HIS LEGACY, DO YOU GET ANGRY?
>> OF COURSE. >> HAVING BEEN IN THERE AND
FIGHTING. >> YEAH.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT I -- I REALLY TRY TO DO WHAT HE WAS
VERY GOOD AT DOING IN OFFICE AND THAT IS TAKE THE LONG VIEW AND
COPE YOUR EYE -- >> HE TAKES IT IN STRIDE.
>> YOU HAVE TO KEEP FOCUSED ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT AND HOW TO BE
THIS FORCE FOR GOOD AND TO NOT GET SIDETRACKED TOO MUCH.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WHEN YOU SEE THINGS THAT YOU THINK AREN'T
CONSISTENT WITH OUR CORE VALUES YOU DON'T CALL THEM OUT, BUT IT
ALSO MEANS YOU HAVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN I DO.
WHAT CAN I DO TO ACTUALLY STILL IMPACT THE LIVES OF THOSE KIDS
IN OUR COUNTRY WHO DESERVE A FAIR SHOT AND AREN'T GETTING ONE
TODAY. >> THE WOMEN'S MARCH WHAT DID
YOU THINK? >> IT WAS AMAZING JUST TO SEE
ALL OF THE PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AROUND THE COUNTRY COME
TOGETHER AND HAVE A PEACEFUL EXCITING, FUN DEMONSTRATION,
SHOW OF FORCE, AND I THINK THAT'S THE WHAT OUR DEMOCRACY IS
ALL ABOUT. >> AND THERE'S A NEED TO
ORGANIZE AGAIN, ISN'T THERE? THE MARCH WAS GREAT.
BUT WHAT'S NEXT? >> WELL THIS IS WHAT I THINK
EVERYONE HAS TO ASK THEMSELVES. YES, IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW WHEN
YOU ARE -- HAVE AN OPPOSITION TO SOMETHING, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO
SHOW WHAT YOU'RE FOR. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF
MOMENTUM OUT THERE AND I THINK THAT THE CHALLENGES JUST KEEPING
THAT MOMENTUM GOING AND NOT LETTING FOLKS KIND OF GET LULLED
INTO A SENSE OF EITHER COMPLACENCY OR FEELING
UNEMPOWERED. I WANT EVERYONE TO FEEL
EMPOWERED. EVERYONE CAN DO SOMETHING.
IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO
ELECTION NIGHT, DID YOU SENSE THERE WAS A PROBLEM?
WAS THERE A SENSE WITHIN THE INNER CIRCLE THERE WAS A PROBLEM
AND WERE YOU ASKING YOURSELF WHAT DID WE MISS OR COULD YOU
TELL? >> YOU KNOW WHAT, I THINK, LOOK,
IT'S A BIG COMPLICATED DEMOCRACY, ONE OF THE STRENGTHS
OF OUR COUNTRY IS ITS D DIVERSI AND RICH DIVERSITY.
I ACTUALLY DIDN'T SEE THE ELECTION COMING OUT THE WAY IT
DID. I WOULDN'T HAVE PREDICTED IT.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, LIKE WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE AND WHAT DO
WE DO TO JUST REBUILD AND FOCUS ON CREATING A BIG AND INCLUSIVE
TENT WHERE WE'RE FOCUSING ON MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW,
EVERY CHILD GETS THE FAIR SHOT, EVERY WOMAN GETS TO COMPETE ON A
LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, THAT WE ARE TRUE TO THE CORE VALUES OF OUR
COUNTRY AND WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE HONOR THOSE VALUES AND
THAT IS SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN DO.
>> COULD YOU DO A A FAVOR AND A PRESIDENT OBAMA SOMETHING FOR
ME? COULD YOU -- COULD HE COME BACK
AND SAVE THE PARTY AND TELL THEM WHAT TO DO?
>> WELL, I THINK WHAT HE'S REALLY INTERESTED IN DOING IS
FINDING, YOU KNOW, THE BARACK OBAMA 2.0s ALL AROUND OUR
COUNTRY, WHO ARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS THAT HE
CAN SUPPORT AND NURTURE AND HELP GROW.
HOW CAN WE HELP GET YOUNG PEOPLE TO THINK WHY DON'T I RUN FOR
OFFICE. >> RIGHT.
>> WHY DON'T I GET ENGAGED. IT'S EASY TO COMPLAIN FROM THE
CHEAP SEATS. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS SEE PEOPLE
ROLL UP THEIR S SLEEVES AND GET INVOLVED.
OUR GOVERNMENT WILL ONLY BE AS GOOD AS WE DEMAND THAT IT BE.
>> SO, SERIOUSLY, IS THAT SOMETHING HE'S GOING TO BE
WORKING ON, IS HELPING YOU FIND THAT NEXT GENERATION?
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY. HE'S VERY INTERESTED THROUGH THE
OBAMA CENTER IN HELPING PROMOTE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND ONE OF THE
WAYS OF PROMOTING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE
TO GET INVOLVED IN THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT WHETHER THEY RUN FOR
OFFICE OR NOT. YOU KNOW HE BEGAN HIS CAREER AS
A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND HE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING BACK TO
THAT AND USING HIS INCREDIBLY POWER PLATFORM THE OBAMA CENTER
TO EXCITE AND NURTURE AND GET YOUNG PEOPLE TO WANT TO CARE
ABOUT THEIR COUNTRY AND TO MAKE IT BETTER AND TO SHOW WHAT ARE
THE BEST PRACTICES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD
FOR DOING JUST THAT. SO THE BIG ISSUES THAT WE STILL
FACE HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD CAN BECOME BETTER UNDER OUR
WATCH. AND OUR WATCH DOESN'T END WHEN
YOU LEAVE OFFICE. AS HE HAS OFTEN SAID THE MOST
IMPORTANT OFFICE OF ALL IS THE OFFICE OF CITIZEN.
>> WOW. GREAT TO CATCH UP WITH HER.
>> GREAT TO SEE HER AGAI

Valerie Jarrett: You Can't Give Up On Our Democracy (Exclusive) | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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