Subject: Re: Sunday Show Q&A
From: Dan Schwerin <[email-masked]>
To: Mandy Grunwald <[email-masked]>, Jake Sullivan <[email-masked]>, Kristina Schake <[email-masked]>, Jennifer Palmieri <[email-masked]>, Betsaida Alcantara <[email-masked]>, Kristina Costa <[email-masked]>, John Podesta <[email-masked]>, Maya Harris <[email-masked]>, Marlon Marshall <[email-masked]>, LaDavia Drane <[email-masked]>, Amanda Renteria <[email-masked]>, Mike Schmidt <[email-masked]>, "Ann O'Leary" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2016 15:59:07 -0500

Here's a stab at an answer on why she's going to Flint.

*Why are you going to Flint on Sunday?*

   - The situation in Flint is an emergency.  For nearly two years, a lot
   of poor children were drinking poisoned water because their governor wanted
   to save a buck -- as if their lives weren’t worth even that much.
   - Every day that goes by without proper testing and care, children are
   at risk. And I know from work I've done over many years on behalf of
   children and environmental justice that toxic lead can have terrible
   effects on kids.
   - So I am going to Flint at the mayor’s invitation on Sunday to get an
   in-depth briefing about what is happening and how we can help.  We have to
   fix the pipes and we need to immediately get families the health care and
   support they need. The federal government is going to have to step up.  I
   know Senator Stabenow is leading the fight to get $200 million to fix
   Flint’s water infrastructure. Congress should do that immediately.
   - Let’s not forget, repairing trust takes longer than repairing pipes.
   We have to hold the governor and others accountable.  And as a country, we
   need to take a hard look at all the other Flints out there, all the places
   where poor communities and communities of color are exposed to
   environmental danger, government neglect, and corporate abuse.
   - A lot of these problems don’t get the attention they deserve on the
   campaign trail, but they’re at the heart of what we need to do together as
   a country.  We have to break down *all* the barriers holding Americans
   back and take all forms of inequality, including systemic racism and
   sexism.  Slogans aren’t going to solve this.  We all need to do our part,
   and we need real solutions that can actually make a difference in people’s
   lives.