Democrats are flailing. After their crushing defeats in the 2024 elections, the Democratic Party has been running in circles, desperately searching for someone—anyone—to blame for their plummeting popularity. Instead of looking inward, they’ve turned to their usual scapegoats: messaging, the media, and of course, not being radical enough.
It’s no secret that Democrats have a messaging problem. An NBC News poll last month revealed that a staggering 38% of Americans feel neither party fights for their interests, and shockingly, only 23% believe Democrats stand for people like them. Even California Governor Gavin Newsom—no MAGA ally himself—admitted that his party lacks clarity. “What do we stand for? What are we about? What are we going to fight for?” Newsom lamented recently on NBC News. If even liberal stalwarts can’t articulate their values, it’s no wonder voters are turning away.
But beyond poor messaging, the Democrats’ internal civil war has intensified. The far-left wing, led by Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, insists the party lost big in 2024 because they didn’t go far enough to the left. Sanders, in particular, has been relentless in attacking moderate Democrats like Senator Elissa Slotkin, accusing them of underestimating voters’ intelligence. In a recent NBC interview, Sanders mocked Slotkin’s critique of his “Fight Oligarchy” tour, saying, “I think the American people are not quite as dumb as Ms. Slotkin thinks they are.” Instead of acknowledging voters’ rejection of radical policies, Sanders pushes Democrats further left, widening the gulf between the party and mainstream America.
But the problem goes deeper than ideological infighting. Democrats are also blaming their own entrenched leadership. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have come under fire from within their own ranks. Senator Chris Murphy openly criticized Schumer’s handling of a GOP-led spending bill earlier this year, telling NBC’s Meet the Press, “The only way we’re going to be effective as a caucus is if we change our tactics.” Meanwhile, Democratic National Committee Vice Chairman David Hogg announced a $20 million plan to target “complacent incumbents” in deep-blue districts, openly declaring that too many Democrat leaders are “asleep at the wheel, out-of-touch, and ineffective.”
Perhaps the most absurd blame-shifting has come from Democrats like Rep. Jim Clyburn, who insists the problem isn’t their policies or their leadership—it’s the media. Speaking on MSNBC last month, Clyburn complained, “The problem we’ve got is that we have to depend upon the media to deliver [our message].” Shockingly, Clyburn even accused outlets like the Washington Post of “caving” to President Trump, labeling him a “wannabe dictator.” This desperate conspiracy theory underscores how unwilling Democrats are to grapple with their own failures.
Instead of scapegoating the media, perhaps Democrats should consider why nearly 70% of Americans view their party as out-of-touch, according to a recent ABC News-Washington Post-Ipsos poll. Could it be their obsession with identity politics, their soft-on-crime policies, their open-border agenda, or their endless embrace of woke radicalism? The American people have spoken clearly, and they aren’t buying what the Democrats are selling.
President Trump and the America First movement succeeded precisely because they listened to voters—focusing on border security, reviving American manufacturing, standing up to China, and ending endless foreign wars. Trump’s policies resonate with everyday Americans because they put America first, something Democrats just can’t seem to grasp.
The Democrats’ current blame game isn’t just pathetic—it’s dangerous. By refusing to accept responsibility and doubling down on failed strategies, they’re pushing their party further away from reality. If Democrats truly want to regain relevance, they must confront the truth: Americans reject their radical agenda, their weak leadership, and their empty rhetoric. Until they do, expect more electoral disasters ahead. America deserves better than a party that can’t even acknowledge its own flaws.
