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Three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Thomas Friedman of the New York Times says “something deep and fundamental about America is on the ballot” in November. 

“I can imagine some really dark scenarios on Nov. 4,” he added. 

Friedman spoke Wednesday, Oct.14 by remote connection  at a University of Minnesota Humphrey School event about the 2020 election and America's standing in the world.

“Only one thing worse, in my view, than one-party autocracy, which China has, is one-party democracy.” That’s because it is unable to produce the compromises that are embedded in America’s constitutional system.

Friedman says we are “undermining truth and trust and destroying our cognitive community— our ability to sort out fact from fiction— and our social community—our ability to come together to do big, hard things.” 

“Politics has to be about something other than itself,” he said. “Politics has to have meaning and be productive.”

If Joe Biden is elected, Friedman would like him to form a “national unity government.” 

“I hope the current version of the Republican party is crushed. I hope it fractures between the Trump cult and the moderate Republicans, and you get a whole new center.”

“For the health of conservative ideology,” Friedman says, “this Trump version has to be destroyed.”

Friedman also shared his insights on the evolving situations in the Middle East and China, as well as the movement emerging after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. “I see this as the second great civil rights movement.” 

Instead of our current motto, “Out of many, one,” Friedman thinks our new motto should be “Out of many, we.” 

Thomas Friedman grew up in St. Louis Park, Minn. He was interviewed by political science professor Larry Jacobs of the University of Minnesota.

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman speaks at the University of Minnesota about the 2020 election and America’s future.

Tom Friedman of NYT calls on Biden to form "national unity government"

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