Marianne Williamson takes on the 'dark psychic force' of Trumpism

Spiritual author Marianne Williamson claimed at the Tuesday primary debate that other presidential candidates are ignoring the “dark psychic force” of President Trump’s rhetoric.

Williamson, a self-help guru who has served as Oprah Winfrey’s spiritual adviser, was answering a question about how she would fix issues like the water crisis in Flint, Mich. She said the crisis in Flint was just the “tip of the iceberg” and part of the “dark underbelly of American society.”

“If you think any of this wonkiness is going to deal with this dark psychic force of the collectivized hatred that this president is bringing up in this country, then I’m afraid the Democrats are going to see some very dark days,” said Williamson, who in the first Democratic debate in June said she would beat President Trump with “love.”

She addressed racism more directly than other candidates, referring to cases like Flint’s water crisis as “environmental injustice” that many communities of color face. Williamson said a similar crisis would not happen in the affluent, mostly white Detroit suburb of Grosse Pointe, where she lived during the 1990s. She came out strongly in support of slavery reparations for African-Americans and urged Democrats to talk more directly about race if they expect people of color to support them.

“We need to say it like it is,” she said. “It’s bigger than Flint. It’s all over this country.”

The water crisis in Flint, about 60 miles from where the debate was held in Detroit, began in 2014 after the city’s water source was changed for budgetary reasons. City residents were forced to use bottled water for drinking and cooking because what came out of their faucets was dirty, foul-smelling and full of lead. While Michigan has largely fixed the issue, residents are still advised to use water filters.

Williamson earned applause from the audience and plaudits from an unlikely source: Donald Trump Jr. The president’s eldest son tweeted, “People are gonna think that I’m trolling but compared to what else is up on this stage, I think Marianne Williamson is actually winning this thing.” He also noted that Williamson’s remarks earned the “biggest applause” so far in the debate.

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