Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

The Way Forward

Showing Original Post only (View all)

LearnedHand

(4,815 posts)
Wed May 14, 2025, 10:37 PM May 14

Dems Don't Need To 'Moderate,' They Need To Stop Focus Grouping Themselves Into Oblivion [View all]

(Wonkette)
https://www.wonkette.com/p/dems-dont-need-to-moderate-they-need

This is a fairly clear-eyed diagnosis of the condition of the national dem party. I think the Dems have been using the finger hygrometer to set policy for decades, with the exception of the Biden White House, who seemed unable to build a movement on their enormous liberal accomplishments.

Ever since the first moment I laid eyes on him, I have not been able to stand Gavin Newsom. This was not for lack of trying. I really did try to see the Golden Boy everyone but me seemed to see. I tried it every time I heard some know-it-all on social media or pundit talk about how he was the perfect Democratic presidential candidate due to his good looks and suave demeanor. And when he started his little war on the unhoused, I thought to myself, “Yes, sir, I knew your ass all along.”

SNIP

At this moment, Democrats and some Never Trump conservatives are doing the thing they always do, which is to hem and haw about how to win over voters in more purple and even red areas. Oh, it is the neverending conundrum! Which group of people do we roll over on? And how hard? How many focus groups can we do? How do we hit that sweet spot of “just bland enough so people who aren’t 100 percent fascist will consider voting for us instead of Republicans?”

I am going to be incredibly honest, here. What really hurt Kamala Harris wasn’t the “they/them” ad. The first thing, the most important thing, was that she didn’t win the primary. That is not her fault, mind you, it’s Joe Biden’s for not stepping down earlier as many of us were dying for him to do. People already hated the tendency of the Democratic party to always do everything possible to ensure that the person whose “turn” it is gets to be the nominee. They hated it even more when someone was just appointed as the nominee. People feel that kind of “wrongness” or unfairness in their bones and it’s hard to shake.

The other thing is that the woman was focus-grouped to death. Go back and look, she said nothing even marginally spicy throughout the entire campaign, and when she and Tim Walz had an offense move that actually hit — calling Republicans, rightfully, weird — they were told by the consultants to knock it off and they did. Part of that reluctance to take any particularly strong stance on anything is what resulted in the decision to not let the Uncommitted group of pro-Palestinian delegates give a very lovely planned speech at the DNC. That alone would have done so much to heal a very serious divide on the Left and made a lot of people feel more comfortable voting for her. A lot of people who happen to live in Michigan and Pennsylvania, to boot.
21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
I guess I am radical because I still believe in the promise of the Statue of Liberty. OAITW r.2.0 May 14 #1
Likewise. But I think the point is LearnedHand May 14 #2
"earn back?" Fuck that. We never lost it. We've always been right about the future of this country. OAITW r.2.0 May 14 #5
Yep! NT flying rabbit May 14 #3
Allow me to summarize the OP gab13by13 May 14 #4
Perhaps this is O/T, but... UbiqC May 14 #6
This is an analysis of which way to move forward LearnedHand May 14 #8
very much DOES rehash the election stopdiggin May 15 #12
You need to dig back into the memory hole. Bush vs Gore for one. Or Orange Shitgibbon vs Clinton. marble falls May 18 #19
Kick orangecrush May 14 #7
But what about the jobs of all those "campaign advisors?" DJ Synikus Makisimus May 14 #9
Keep it simple. A simple and Powerful message (from Bernie) usonian May 14 #10
90 million people didn't vote Ponietz May 14 #11
Legally and constitutionally they don't LearnedHand May 15 #18
Check out Greg Palast. He's taken the government's own figures to show Kamala had 3 million more votes than Dumpy. judesedit May 15 #13
Yep. Rigged. That Is All!!!! BurnDoubt May 15 #16
WTF is with the rehashing the last election? Damn. It's over. Literally over. live love laugh May 15 #14
Paralysis of analysis. Learn to use the word "WRONG!" Use it early and often, and Pound It In! BurnDoubt May 15 #15
Wrong isn't enough... ultralite001 May 15 #17
I was actually surprised Dem4life1970 May 18 #20
Good post! Sadly, hindsight is always 20/20. CTyankee May 19 #21
Latest Discussions»The Way Forward»Dems Don't Need To 'Moder...