Chris Cuomo had a moment of clarity at the Democratic National Convention, where the NewsNation anchor went on a sizzling rant about the rise of corporate millions that fuel national elections, with their ring of luxury suites “literally looking down on the faithful” as a backdrop.
“A big theme here at the DNC is that they’re going to go after corporate entities,” Cuomo said. “We heard the same thing from the RNC — going after elites and the two sets of rules. But let me reveal a reality to you that needs to be spoken here, OK?”
The former CNN anchor then had his producer point the camera up at the lofty levels of the United Center, where he said luxury boxes went for upwards of $1 million.
“There’s another reality literally looking down on us,” Cuomo said. “Look at the suites. This is not unique to the Democrats — this is about money. When people talk about the party, we are strangled by money.”
Cuomo noted that in 2000, corporations spent $300 million on presidential campaigns. Just forward 24 years and that number is expected to be $10 billion.
“Do you think there’s a teacher group up in there? Do you think it’s the Cub Scouts of Columbia County, South Carolina, up in those boxes? No,” a fiery Cuomo said. “Those boxes are filled with the same people they say they’re going to regulate. They are literally looking down on the faithful.”
Cuomo noted that the corporate tentacles have reached both sides of the aisle in equal measure.
“The same thing is true on the Republican side,” he said. “They say they’re going to take them down and change how things are? But they’re looking down from on high at the people who make the difference in their communities. And that’s the reality of politics.”
Watch the entire exchange in the video above.
