The New York Times Editorial Board is sounding off on the Democratic Party after its historic losses in the 2024 election.
In a recent editorial, the left-leaning outlet argued that the party is in deep denial about the reasons behind its losses of the House, Senate, and presidency, warning that its current strategies for recovery are not only misguided but outright delusional, Fox News noted.
“As comforting as these explanations may feel to Democrats, they are a form of denial that will make it harder for the Democratic Party to win future elections,” the Editorial Board’s column noted on Saturday. The title of the editorial declared simply, “The Democrats Are in Denial About 2024.”
The Times editorial comes amid historically low approval ratings for the Democratic Party. Recent national polls from CNN and NBC News, released earlier this month, show that just 29% and 27% of respondents, respectively, have a favorable view of the party. These figures mark the lowest approval ratings recorded by either outlet for Democrats since the early 1990s.
The NYT editorial board hammered “many party leaders” who have “decided that they do not need to make significant changes to their policies or their message” following their “comprehensive defeat.”
According to the board, Democrats have turned to a “convenient explanation for their plight,” claiming that forces beyond its control, like “postpandemic inflation” harmed its chances last year, as well as citing a need for better messaging — not a change of policies. “If Democrats could only communicate better, particularly on social media and podcasts, the party would be fine,” the board stated, summarizing part of their denial.
The editorial went on to note how new Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin is certain that the party has the “right message” but simply needs a way to “connect it back with the voters.” The board also noted that former Democratic vice-presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., recently told voters that “90 million” people stayed home during the last election, emphasizing that the party needs to rally their support.
The editorial highlighted Governor Tim Walz’s remark that Democrats don’t need to bother appealing to voters who supported President Donald Trump.
The board pointed to comments like that as clear signs the party is in denial—and cautioned that this mindset should worry not just Democrats, but conservatives and the entire country as well.
But then the board turned to its usual breathless hyperbole regarding President Donald Trump and how he’s supposedly the biggest threat to America.
“The country needs two healthy political parties. It especially needs a healthy Democratic Party, given Mr. Trump’s takeover of the Republican Party and his draconian behavior. Restraining him — and any successors who continue his policies — depends on Democrats taking an honest look at their problems,” the board wrote.
The board acknowledged that inflation can negatively impact the incumbent party in the U.S., similar to its effects on other countries, regardless of political affiliations. “Whether on the political right or left, ruling parties lost power in the United States, Brazil, Britain, Germany and Italy,” it wrote.
Still, the board mentioned that “incumbent parties managed to win re-election, including in Denmark, France, India, Japan, Mexico and Spain. A healthier Democratic Party could have joined them last year.”
It wasn’t just inflation that turned the tide against Democrats, the board wrote, pointing out how “voters also trusted Republicans more than Democrats on immigration, crime, government spending, global trade and foreign policy.”
The editors then debunked Walz’s voter turnout point, saying, “Nonvoters appear to have favored Mr. Trump by an even wider margin than voters.”
After criticizing Democrats, the board then offered some advice on how it can rise from its resounding defeat. That begins with “more rigorous and less wishful reflection” and taking concrete steps for regaining voters’ trust, notably, “they should admit that their party mishandled Mr. Biden’s age.”
“Second, Democrats should recognize that the party moved too far left on social issues after Barack Obama left office in 2017,” it said, adding that the third step is that “the party has to offer new ideas.”
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