Obama Gives Democrats a Lesson on Politics, But They Won’t Listen

The Democrats should brace themselves for a real disaster on November 8th. My prediction is that Republicans will take the House and the Senate, but the bad news is that George Soros will retain control of the Oval Office. The polls are all showing voters moving away from the Democrats. In New York and Oregon, Republican candidates are virtually tied. in the governor’s races. People are more worried about inflation than they are about library drag shows.

While voters are citing inflation, the economy, crime, and illegal immigration, Democrats are focusing on abortions, Donald Trump, and January 6th. It’s like having a German professor lecturing on applied physics in a classroom full of people who only speak French wanting to learn about ancient Greek philosophy. The message never gets through. And even if it did, it would be the wrong message.

Obama said:

“We spend enormous amounts of time and energy and resources pointing out the latest crazy thing he said that’s probably not something that, in the minds of most voters, overrides their basic interests: Can I pay the rent? What are gas prices? How am I dealing with childcare, etc.” 

“I think where [Democrats] get into trouble sometimes is when we try to suggest that some groups are more — because they historically have been victimized more, that somehow they have a status that’s different than other people, and that we’re going around scolding folks if they don’t use exactly the right phrase.”

“Or, you know, that identity politics becomes the principle lens through which we view our various political challenges.”

“To me, I think, that, for a lot of average folks, ends up feeling as if you’re not speaking to me and my concerns, or for that matter, my kid’s concerns and their future.”

Obama said that Democrats need to go toe to toe with Republicans who argue effectively that Democrats are coastal elites who look down on them. The Democrats should be finding a way to talk to average Americans and leave the liberal gobbledygook at home.

Obama continues:

“That’s not how people think about these issues. They think about them in terms of, ‘The life I’m leading day to day. How does politics, how is it even relevant to the things that I care most deeply about? My family, my kids, work that gives me satisfaction, having fun not being a buzzkill, right?”

“And sometimes Democrats are.”

The good news is that few if any Democrats will take his advice and I believe the polls reflect that view. The fact is that people for whom abortion is the top issue would have already voted for Democrats, but it does not expand your base. The truth is that Democrats know they can’t win on the issues so they rattle their keys and hope it gets your attention so that you forget what issues really matters. It won’t work.

Democrats can rant and rave all they want, but as James Carville told Bill Clinton, “It’s the economy, Stupid.”