Jeff Daniels says it's the 'end of democracy' if Trump wins second term

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Jeff Daniels accepts the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie award for 'Godless' onstage during the 70th Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Michigan native Jeff Daniels said Monday that if President Trump wins again in 2020, it'll be the "end of democracy."

Daniels, who is currently performing on Broadway as Atticus Finch in the Aaron Sorkin's adaptation of "To Kill a Mockingbird," appeared on MSNBC on Monday.

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"I live in Michigan. After the election, I was surprised at some of the people," Daniels said of the 2016 election. "I said, 'Could you believe this election?' And they go, 'Yeah, isn't it great?'... you didn't see it coming."

Daniels talked to MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace about the correlation between Finch's belief that "they're good people," and that people in the Midwest "don't care" about the same things that people on the coasts do.

"You have to decide whether, like Atticus, that you believe that there's still compassion, decency, civility, respect for others, do onto others... all of that stuff you guys believe in and you still voted not for Hillary or for Trump, where are you now?" Daniels continued.

"Because your kids are looking up at you going, 'but he lies' and I think there are a lot of people in the Midwest who are going, 'sigh'. It might be enough for them. We're gonna find out, you know, if the big gamble is to go all the way to November 2020, which I agree, and lose. It's the end of democracy."

Daniels also suggest Republicans are using the "race card" to advance agenda.

"At the end of the day, aside from 'I don’t want to pay taxes,' it’s race," Daniels said. "It’s race. This is about the Republican Party — or a wing of it — going, 'This is our last chance to save the party. And if we don’t, it’s the end of the Republican Party.'"

Daniels said the "quiet" Republicans are showing "cowardice," asking "who are the heroes going to be?"

"You look at the cowardice of the 15 or so Republicans in the Senate who are still quiet," Daniels said on MSNBC before calling out former GOP senators Bob Corker (Tenn.) and Jeff Flake (Ariz.) for going out the "back door."

"That’s not courage. That’s making sure you’ve got a job somewhere after politics. Courage is standing up and being a true patriot like we used to have way back in 1776," he added.

"I need people to stand up and be heroic. Who are you because democracy is at stake," Daniels told the MSNBC panel.

Watch the full interview below:


About the Author:

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.