I hope that The Warning community will be a place of respectful and civil debate that helps start necessary and reality-based conversations. There is a strain of fandom that has taken root in our politics that has turned dialogue into whatever passes for screaming between Red Sox and Yankees fans in a mixed bar in the ninth inning of a playoff game. American politics is real life. It is a business full of nuance that requires the ability to hold contradictory thoughts on multiple subjects simultaneously, and understand how people unlike you might see the world.
I'm an ex-New Yorker who moved away nearly 30 years ago but still pay (far too) serious attention to NY state politics and I am no fan of Chuck Schumer. My own view is he is in way over his head, that he relishes but does not relinquish the spot light and that he talks far too much to a point where his indiscretions become distractions. The old joke that the most dangerous place in DC is between Schumer and a microphone remains true. He's not a brilliant strategist--he recruited Sinema for the Senate and he thought both Warnock and Ossoff would lose in 2021 so he contributed few resources. I hope the Democrats soon turn over the reins of power to the next generation: Schumer, Pelosi, Hoyer, Feinstein and others all need to step aside for the Katie Porters, Pete Buttigiegs. Hakeem Jeffries and others...
Steve, your read on the Democratic Party and Senator Schumer is compelling. It is extremely disappointing to know that Tim Ryan was denied the support that could have helped him win that Ohio Senate race. I have no doubt the election results were better than expected despite the inability of the Democratic Party to initiate an effective message and strategy. Living in Florida, I know how bad it could have been.
The only place I tend to disagree with you is your take on President Biden. You said recently that it is selfish for him to run again. That is too harsh an assessment. President Biden has done a remarkable job overall. He may or may not run again. I understand and appreciate how attractive a younger leaders (like Tim Ryan) would be to voters. I agree it is time for new leaders in the Democratic Party to take on the challenge of defeating the authoritarian power hungry elements of the Republican Party. But, I have seen nothing from President Biden but his tireless work on behalf of the Country. There is no evidence I have seen that would lead me to believe he makes selfish decisions. He deserves our thanks and our respect. I bet he will make the right decision about running when the time comes for that decision. Declaring he won’t run now makes no sense to me.
Finally, I want to thank you for the excellent job you did down here in Florida at the Florida Hospital Association Annual Meeting a few years ago. In the heart of twisted Trump country, the audience responded to your presentation with a standing ovation. That was no easy task at time when Trump was all powerful down here. It still makes me smile to think about your presentation and the feedback I received afterwards.
Years ago, I accidentally attended a Systems Thinking class. The original person registered came up sick and since we had already paid for the course I was allowed to take their place primarily because I didn’t have anything else scheduled. Oddly, that class has stuck with me and influenced my thinking in ways no other class I’ve attended. Essentially it taught me that a system, any system must be changed from within. But anyone within that system is part of the system and the longer they are part of the system they become more inclined to take actions that ensure the viability of the system rather than advocate for any significant changes to it. This leads to a dilemma. How the heck does one change the system while either not being a part of it or becoming a part of it? The solution the class presented is that one must “get in and then get out” because if you don’t then you get consumed by the system and it becomes very unlikely you will be successful at making any significant changes. This notion is why I personally support term limits. It is also why I believe we need significant leadership changes within the Democratic party. And I say this not because I believe or support in any way “both sideism”! I find the MAGA led party horrifying and dangerous. However, it does those opposed to the MAGA GOP no good to deny the point you’ve made. That is, half of Americans believe and support the GOP because they think the Democratic party policies will be more harmful to them than the MAGA GOP policies. Why is that? The answer cannot be they are all racist, anarchists, or not smart enough to know which side their bread is buttered. While many may fall into those categories, millions do not. I believe it’s because the long time Democratic leaders have become part of the system and they’ve lost touch with the people they represent whether it’s in NY, the Midwest, NC, CA, or AZ. The long time Democratic leaders whether they consciously know it or not have become part of the system and are more focused on sustaining the system than representing the voters. It’s not just their lack of support for Tim Ryan. It’s the corruption and cronyism and bad decisions that led to unnecessary losses in NY. It’s the lack of support from the national leadership for folks like Cheri Beasley, Mandela Barnes, Val Demings. We need fresh thinking and fresh thinkers. We need new leaders who haven’t been “infected” by our current system. Ugh. I don’t even sure where I’m going with these thoughts. I’m still working through them. I am certain though that we must have new leaders if we hope to see any significant changes to our current system. Otherwise, we are in serious danger of losing any influence at all on our current political system and will be stuck trying to survive the horrific decisions folks like MTG, Ron DeSantis, Paul Gosur, JD Vance, etc will be making for us.
The GOP talks to the Southerners + Mid westerners in short simple soundbites that play on their grievances and blame the Dems for their lot in life. It's not true, but it resonates and hooks them into the MAGA world. The along comes the Dem's with lengthy, (mostly) factual ramblings and all of the GOP supporters eyes glaze over. This isn't hard to figure out. A substantial portion of the population need to be communicated to in a 'dumbed down' fashion.
I’m sitting angry here in Ohio. Not because I repeatedly transferred money from my teachers retirement into Ryan’s campaign because he had to rely on the blue voters in Ohio to help fund it up until the last day.
I’m angry because the statehouse is filled with red seats, the administration offices all have red doors. We’ve got a heartbeat bill waiting to become a total ban on abortion, and I dedicated my life to teaching in public education which is the new frontier for GOP demolition crew.
I am angry with my fellow/sister Buckeyes. Where are they? They came out in masses 10 years ago to defeat Gov. Kasick and his red platoon’s SB2 that would have destroyed collective bargaining for teachers, police, and firefighters. We --Ohioans pushed back and beat the red machine. Where are these people now?
And now I’m wondering where is the Democratic Party? Have they abandoned Ohio?
Ok. I would guess Schumer is a good man, but this party barely won and has problems that they seem blind to. Schumer must step down. As you say, the Dems are old, or getting older and it is past time for a new vision and new voice. Understand I write this as a boomer. Throughout the last few years, especially this election cycle, I have been critical of the Democrat leadership, for their lack of vision. That Ryan lost should be a wake up call.
I live in a red, gerrymandered state, the Democrat party has done nothing for this state. Many of us are discussing how we can make a difference, without them, National, state and local. We have had enough and have decided at this point we have nothing to lose. But, it is not just where I live. I read from others in the Midwest and the feeling is mutual. I get the problems living in a gerrymandered state, it is the stated reason for every loss. I just believe you move to be more creative, to use imagination, become curious and develop a “what if” attitude. I don’t believe Schumer is the one to do this.
I think you're right we need a younger generation taking over, but I simultaneously feel like the moment we are in is so precarious, I'm hard pressed to let go of the experience we do have on the bench, all of whom are aging. I will vote blue no matter who, because the R party has so disgraced itself, I don't expect to vote for them again in my lifetime. Biden, for instance....despite his approval figures, has a huge deep well of experience and relationships and he's done quite well in the presidency, with narrow margins and taking over a big mess. I love several of the next generation of leaders....Tim Ryan, Mayor Pete, and some senators and congress people I think have huge talent and are great senators and congresspeople...... Katie Porter ! But are any of these people electable to the presidency in a general election? I don't know. I'm watching and waiting, and nervous. I would totally vote for any number of them, very happily, if they are on the ballot. But will enough others? I don't know. I will vote for Biden if he's on the ticket....he has done a good job with tough circumstances, and a large part of that is temperament, character, experience and relationships all over the world. Schumer does some cringy things, and I don't think as much of him as I do Nancy Pelosi, who is very skilled. So---overall, I both support the next generation moving into positions of power...we have a deep bench of great talent. But I'm also nervous about turning loose of those who know what they are doing and are skilled negotiators.... at THIS moment.
I am a New Yorker, I sat next to Chuck Schumer on a plane once. 6 hours from NY to LA. At the end of the journey I was convinced the man is in a game or maze that he cant see his way out of. I think the last 5 years the spotlight has been on the insanity of the GOP. Time to clean house in our party. The conclusions the Democtatic party makes about its sucesses feel like they are from a 1985 playbook. The party has a lot of promise , it does need a spring cleaning. They should have invested in TIM RYAN. I agree with Steve. Its only a matter of time until the spotlight and be on the Democratic party and we should not be defensive or resistant to a cleanup on aisle D. While I am at it . Amy Klobuchar would do a better job.
Yes, Chuck Schumer and the Dem establishment deserve little credit for the election result. That mostly goes to the candidates and the people who voted. But I’m not sure that the umbrage that was expressed in the comments is adequately reflected here, Steve. It was directed at your equating Schumer (whom you quiet well describe above) as equivalent to the Rep leadership. Whatever his faults, Schumer doesn’t deserve that comparison. Thanks for fostering such a respectful, healthy dialogue. Great group here. ✌️
I just need to ask a couple of questions for clarification about Tim Ryan's campaign. Please note: I personally donated what was for me a lot of money to Ryan's campaign, and mainly his, along with Val Demings -money I will now need to pay off in the future. 1. Did Tim Ryan make a public statement that he thought Biden should not run for a second term/ was too old? 2. Did Tim Ryan decline an offer to have Biden campaign for him in Ohio? (The minimal research I did on these questions turned up with 'Yes' answers.) 3. Did these choices that Tim Ryan made affect the outcome of his campaign? If Ryan criticized Biden's age and failed to note his achievements and declined to have Biden, THE POTUS, campaign for him, this may have affected the pro-Biden voter block and sadly, the outcome of that election. I despise JD Vance. I am a huge Ryan fan and very disappointed, but I want to bring this up for discussion, as I don't know if my questions are even accurate. Thank you, Steve Schmidt, and all here for this forum and meaningful discourse.
It’s true humans are hardwired to be inspired. Unfortunately we get what we settle for in life and the new aspiration seems to be a boring politician, one who will do a bunch of stuff and then tell us about it.
Like it or not, the psychological phenomenon of Trumpism has been to lower the bar so we’re willing to settle for not crazy”
Just like after the pandemic was officially declared over, (medical experts would disagree on the over part) there seems to be a high interest in getting back to “normal” aka boring. For the most part, the short attention span of American citizens and its inflicted apathy is the contributing factor to broken politics and broken media.
We can’t change those things unless we’re willing to take responsibility for how unengaged we are. We have no right to hand the keys to our house over to a bunch of lunatics over a 40 year period of time and complain they trashed it.
I prefer action plans to counter what we find ourselves being harmed by. Blaming others for our shortcomings as citizens simply perpetuates the problem.
Everyone can have a small actions every day collectively, will make an impact:
You shouldn’t pay for the paper and then the book.
Go to independent journalism on Substack, subscribe to credible individuals, compare, and contrast .
Write to the advertisers. Judd Legume has had some great lists on popular information.
I have a standard form letter I sent to them to let them know I won’t buy their product given how they’re supporting unethical inhumane, stances, buy politicians, and or papers.
I can easily afford a Tesla, but I would never consider buying one. Fruit from the poison tree.
To simplify it all: every dollar you spend is a vote for the world 🌎 you want to live in.
I’d love to hear what other people do in small actionable steps of daily living to be conscious citizens of the planet, the global community, and an American .
Thanks very much Steve for clarifying your position from the previous post. While my objection was a narrow point (agreeing with most of the other content there) , it was important to me and I appreciate your feedback and feel I understand your position better now. Your perspectives and willingness to interact is what make this group valuable to me.
For a midterm election with terrible inflation and anxiety about the economy, the Democrats did well, mainly by emphasizing saving democracy and the right to choose (messages the mainstream media punditry declared a mistake). I'm not a big Schumer fan, but Nancy Pelosi is the most effective Speaker in my (long) memory - she has kept a coalition together the vast majority of the time despite their differences, and delivered big legislative wins. I agree that the torch must be handed to the next generation, but gradually and with respect to the elder statesmen and stateswomen who have come this far. Being younger is not better per se. In some cases (i.e., Pelosi) age really does mean wisdom.
I know how much Steve admires and supports Tim Ryan. What isn't mentioned in any of these essays is that Tim Ryan publicly rejected President Biden and the rest of the party during the debate. Is it any surprise the party didn't offer more support?
Lastly, the head of the DNC is Jaime Harrison - hardly a doddering old man. Did he just let the party stalwarts over age 70 decide where funds should be spent, or did he engage in strategic thinking? I'm not going out on much of a limb to say it's the latter.
Interesting to talk of nuance and what I call ‘holding the tension of opposites’. We ALL have those in us. For this girl from NJ, my issue is their lack of connection to the rest of the world.
Chuck Schumer is one of those. He looks as if he would be wise, but never says anything very insightful. His reaction during the insurrection was also very telling. I wish folks in DC would understand the reality of what this father in Kansas said to me a while ago in an interview I did for GE about the quality of products in America:
‘I feel like I have to run to stay even. My father bought refrigerators that lasted 30 years and now, they don’t work after 3. My wife had to take a job and we have to get someone to watch the kids. I don’t feel like a good provider any longer’.
To me, that man will remain the poster child for ‘The End of the Middle Class’. His sadness and humiliation has probably hardened into resentment by now, and I don’t blame him. DC FOLKS need to take their noses out of their own playbook and recognize that these are not statistics. These are people.
Well, this commenter agrees with you on just about everything. So much so that it’s a little scary. Always have since the first time I saw you in MSNBC with Nicole Wallace.
In my opinion, Barack Obama saved the day when he came out of his cave and joined the campaign trail. I’m pretty sure he gets full credit for saving us, possibly, from having Herschel Walker in the senate with his pilot comment. It blows my mind that the Democrats keep their #1 weapon at bay until the last couple weeks of the election cycle while we have to hear Trump 24/7/365.
Schumer and Pelosi are skilled politicians and masters of the Washington game. Mitch McConnell, too. I’m sure they are nice people. The only mandate out of this election, and the last several, is that the American people are sick and tired of politics as usual. The game they play hasn’t worked for so many of us for so long. The octogenarians running congress need to go and, thank God, the only thing the voting public hates worse are anti-democratic crackpots.
I absolutely agree that the win was NOT a result of Schumer, but in spite of him. I have been wondering, "where is my party" for years. And I am a Boomer looking for young leadership. Who would you suggest as we go forward,?
I'm an ex-New Yorker who moved away nearly 30 years ago but still pay (far too) serious attention to NY state politics and I am no fan of Chuck Schumer. My own view is he is in way over his head, that he relishes but does not relinquish the spot light and that he talks far too much to a point where his indiscretions become distractions. The old joke that the most dangerous place in DC is between Schumer and a microphone remains true. He's not a brilliant strategist--he recruited Sinema for the Senate and he thought both Warnock and Ossoff would lose in 2021 so he contributed few resources. I hope the Democrats soon turn over the reins of power to the next generation: Schumer, Pelosi, Hoyer, Feinstein and others all need to step aside for the Katie Porters, Pete Buttigiegs. Hakeem Jeffries and others...
Steve, your read on the Democratic Party and Senator Schumer is compelling. It is extremely disappointing to know that Tim Ryan was denied the support that could have helped him win that Ohio Senate race. I have no doubt the election results were better than expected despite the inability of the Democratic Party to initiate an effective message and strategy. Living in Florida, I know how bad it could have been.
The only place I tend to disagree with you is your take on President Biden. You said recently that it is selfish for him to run again. That is too harsh an assessment. President Biden has done a remarkable job overall. He may or may not run again. I understand and appreciate how attractive a younger leaders (like Tim Ryan) would be to voters. I agree it is time for new leaders in the Democratic Party to take on the challenge of defeating the authoritarian power hungry elements of the Republican Party. But, I have seen nothing from President Biden but his tireless work on behalf of the Country. There is no evidence I have seen that would lead me to believe he makes selfish decisions. He deserves our thanks and our respect. I bet he will make the right decision about running when the time comes for that decision. Declaring he won’t run now makes no sense to me.
Finally, I want to thank you for the excellent job you did down here in Florida at the Florida Hospital Association Annual Meeting a few years ago. In the heart of twisted Trump country, the audience responded to your presentation with a standing ovation. That was no easy task at time when Trump was all powerful down here. It still makes me smile to think about your presentation and the feedback I received afterwards.
Bruce Rueben
Years ago, I accidentally attended a Systems Thinking class. The original person registered came up sick and since we had already paid for the course I was allowed to take their place primarily because I didn’t have anything else scheduled. Oddly, that class has stuck with me and influenced my thinking in ways no other class I’ve attended. Essentially it taught me that a system, any system must be changed from within. But anyone within that system is part of the system and the longer they are part of the system they become more inclined to take actions that ensure the viability of the system rather than advocate for any significant changes to it. This leads to a dilemma. How the heck does one change the system while either not being a part of it or becoming a part of it? The solution the class presented is that one must “get in and then get out” because if you don’t then you get consumed by the system and it becomes very unlikely you will be successful at making any significant changes. This notion is why I personally support term limits. It is also why I believe we need significant leadership changes within the Democratic party. And I say this not because I believe or support in any way “both sideism”! I find the MAGA led party horrifying and dangerous. However, it does those opposed to the MAGA GOP no good to deny the point you’ve made. That is, half of Americans believe and support the GOP because they think the Democratic party policies will be more harmful to them than the MAGA GOP policies. Why is that? The answer cannot be they are all racist, anarchists, or not smart enough to know which side their bread is buttered. While many may fall into those categories, millions do not. I believe it’s because the long time Democratic leaders have become part of the system and they’ve lost touch with the people they represent whether it’s in NY, the Midwest, NC, CA, or AZ. The long time Democratic leaders whether they consciously know it or not have become part of the system and are more focused on sustaining the system than representing the voters. It’s not just their lack of support for Tim Ryan. It’s the corruption and cronyism and bad decisions that led to unnecessary losses in NY. It’s the lack of support from the national leadership for folks like Cheri Beasley, Mandela Barnes, Val Demings. We need fresh thinking and fresh thinkers. We need new leaders who haven’t been “infected” by our current system. Ugh. I don’t even sure where I’m going with these thoughts. I’m still working through them. I am certain though that we must have new leaders if we hope to see any significant changes to our current system. Otherwise, we are in serious danger of losing any influence at all on our current political system and will be stuck trying to survive the horrific decisions folks like MTG, Ron DeSantis, Paul Gosur, JD Vance, etc will be making for us.
The GOP talks to the Southerners + Mid westerners in short simple soundbites that play on their grievances and blame the Dems for their lot in life. It's not true, but it resonates and hooks them into the MAGA world. The along comes the Dem's with lengthy, (mostly) factual ramblings and all of the GOP supporters eyes glaze over. This isn't hard to figure out. A substantial portion of the population need to be communicated to in a 'dumbed down' fashion.
I’m sitting angry here in Ohio. Not because I repeatedly transferred money from my teachers retirement into Ryan’s campaign because he had to rely on the blue voters in Ohio to help fund it up until the last day.
I’m angry because the statehouse is filled with red seats, the administration offices all have red doors. We’ve got a heartbeat bill waiting to become a total ban on abortion, and I dedicated my life to teaching in public education which is the new frontier for GOP demolition crew.
I am angry with my fellow/sister Buckeyes. Where are they? They came out in masses 10 years ago to defeat Gov. Kasick and his red platoon’s SB2 that would have destroyed collective bargaining for teachers, police, and firefighters. We --Ohioans pushed back and beat the red machine. Where are these people now?
And now I’m wondering where is the Democratic Party? Have they abandoned Ohio?
Ok. I would guess Schumer is a good man, but this party barely won and has problems that they seem blind to. Schumer must step down. As you say, the Dems are old, or getting older and it is past time for a new vision and new voice. Understand I write this as a boomer. Throughout the last few years, especially this election cycle, I have been critical of the Democrat leadership, for their lack of vision. That Ryan lost should be a wake up call.
I live in a red, gerrymandered state, the Democrat party has done nothing for this state. Many of us are discussing how we can make a difference, without them, National, state and local. We have had enough and have decided at this point we have nothing to lose. But, it is not just where I live. I read from others in the Midwest and the feeling is mutual. I get the problems living in a gerrymandered state, it is the stated reason for every loss. I just believe you move to be more creative, to use imagination, become curious and develop a “what if” attitude. I don’t believe Schumer is the one to do this.
My rant for the morning.
I think you're right we need a younger generation taking over, but I simultaneously feel like the moment we are in is so precarious, I'm hard pressed to let go of the experience we do have on the bench, all of whom are aging. I will vote blue no matter who, because the R party has so disgraced itself, I don't expect to vote for them again in my lifetime. Biden, for instance....despite his approval figures, has a huge deep well of experience and relationships and he's done quite well in the presidency, with narrow margins and taking over a big mess. I love several of the next generation of leaders....Tim Ryan, Mayor Pete, and some senators and congress people I think have huge talent and are great senators and congresspeople...... Katie Porter ! But are any of these people electable to the presidency in a general election? I don't know. I'm watching and waiting, and nervous. I would totally vote for any number of them, very happily, if they are on the ballot. But will enough others? I don't know. I will vote for Biden if he's on the ticket....he has done a good job with tough circumstances, and a large part of that is temperament, character, experience and relationships all over the world. Schumer does some cringy things, and I don't think as much of him as I do Nancy Pelosi, who is very skilled. So---overall, I both support the next generation moving into positions of power...we have a deep bench of great talent. But I'm also nervous about turning loose of those who know what they are doing and are skilled negotiators.... at THIS moment.
I am a New Yorker, I sat next to Chuck Schumer on a plane once. 6 hours from NY to LA. At the end of the journey I was convinced the man is in a game or maze that he cant see his way out of. I think the last 5 years the spotlight has been on the insanity of the GOP. Time to clean house in our party. The conclusions the Democtatic party makes about its sucesses feel like they are from a 1985 playbook. The party has a lot of promise , it does need a spring cleaning. They should have invested in TIM RYAN. I agree with Steve. Its only a matter of time until the spotlight and be on the Democratic party and we should not be defensive or resistant to a cleanup on aisle D. While I am at it . Amy Klobuchar would do a better job.
Yes, Chuck Schumer and the Dem establishment deserve little credit for the election result. That mostly goes to the candidates and the people who voted. But I’m not sure that the umbrage that was expressed in the comments is adequately reflected here, Steve. It was directed at your equating Schumer (whom you quiet well describe above) as equivalent to the Rep leadership. Whatever his faults, Schumer doesn’t deserve that comparison. Thanks for fostering such a respectful, healthy dialogue. Great group here. ✌️
I just need to ask a couple of questions for clarification about Tim Ryan's campaign. Please note: I personally donated what was for me a lot of money to Ryan's campaign, and mainly his, along with Val Demings -money I will now need to pay off in the future. 1. Did Tim Ryan make a public statement that he thought Biden should not run for a second term/ was too old? 2. Did Tim Ryan decline an offer to have Biden campaign for him in Ohio? (The minimal research I did on these questions turned up with 'Yes' answers.) 3. Did these choices that Tim Ryan made affect the outcome of his campaign? If Ryan criticized Biden's age and failed to note his achievements and declined to have Biden, THE POTUS, campaign for him, this may have affected the pro-Biden voter block and sadly, the outcome of that election. I despise JD Vance. I am a huge Ryan fan and very disappointed, but I want to bring this up for discussion, as I don't know if my questions are even accurate. Thank you, Steve Schmidt, and all here for this forum and meaningful discourse.
It’s true humans are hardwired to be inspired. Unfortunately we get what we settle for in life and the new aspiration seems to be a boring politician, one who will do a bunch of stuff and then tell us about it.
Like it or not, the psychological phenomenon of Trumpism has been to lower the bar so we’re willing to settle for not crazy”
Just like after the pandemic was officially declared over, (medical experts would disagree on the over part) there seems to be a high interest in getting back to “normal” aka boring. For the most part, the short attention span of American citizens and its inflicted apathy is the contributing factor to broken politics and broken media.
We can’t change those things unless we’re willing to take responsibility for how unengaged we are. We have no right to hand the keys to our house over to a bunch of lunatics over a 40 year period of time and complain they trashed it.
I prefer action plans to counter what we find ourselves being harmed by. Blaming others for our shortcomings as citizens simply perpetuates the problem.
Everyone can have a small actions every day collectively, will make an impact:
You shouldn’t pay for the paper and then the book.
Go to independent journalism on Substack, subscribe to credible individuals, compare, and contrast .
Write to the advertisers. Judd Legume has had some great lists on popular information.
I have a standard form letter I sent to them to let them know I won’t buy their product given how they’re supporting unethical inhumane, stances, buy politicians, and or papers.
I can easily afford a Tesla, but I would never consider buying one. Fruit from the poison tree.
To simplify it all: every dollar you spend is a vote for the world 🌎 you want to live in.
I’d love to hear what other people do in small actionable steps of daily living to be conscious citizens of the planet, the global community, and an American .
Thanks very much Steve for clarifying your position from the previous post. While my objection was a narrow point (agreeing with most of the other content there) , it was important to me and I appreciate your feedback and feel I understand your position better now. Your perspectives and willingness to interact is what make this group valuable to me.
👍
For a midterm election with terrible inflation and anxiety about the economy, the Democrats did well, mainly by emphasizing saving democracy and the right to choose (messages the mainstream media punditry declared a mistake). I'm not a big Schumer fan, but Nancy Pelosi is the most effective Speaker in my (long) memory - she has kept a coalition together the vast majority of the time despite their differences, and delivered big legislative wins. I agree that the torch must be handed to the next generation, but gradually and with respect to the elder statesmen and stateswomen who have come this far. Being younger is not better per se. In some cases (i.e., Pelosi) age really does mean wisdom.
I know how much Steve admires and supports Tim Ryan. What isn't mentioned in any of these essays is that Tim Ryan publicly rejected President Biden and the rest of the party during the debate. Is it any surprise the party didn't offer more support?
Lastly, the head of the DNC is Jaime Harrison - hardly a doddering old man. Did he just let the party stalwarts over age 70 decide where funds should be spent, or did he engage in strategic thinking? I'm not going out on much of a limb to say it's the latter.
Interesting to talk of nuance and what I call ‘holding the tension of opposites’. We ALL have those in us. For this girl from NJ, my issue is their lack of connection to the rest of the world.
Chuck Schumer is one of those. He looks as if he would be wise, but never says anything very insightful. His reaction during the insurrection was also very telling. I wish folks in DC would understand the reality of what this father in Kansas said to me a while ago in an interview I did for GE about the quality of products in America:
‘I feel like I have to run to stay even. My father bought refrigerators that lasted 30 years and now, they don’t work after 3. My wife had to take a job and we have to get someone to watch the kids. I don’t feel like a good provider any longer’.
To me, that man will remain the poster child for ‘The End of the Middle Class’. His sadness and humiliation has probably hardened into resentment by now, and I don’t blame him. DC FOLKS need to take their noses out of their own playbook and recognize that these are not statistics. These are people.
Well, this commenter agrees with you on just about everything. So much so that it’s a little scary. Always have since the first time I saw you in MSNBC with Nicole Wallace.
In my opinion, Barack Obama saved the day when he came out of his cave and joined the campaign trail. I’m pretty sure he gets full credit for saving us, possibly, from having Herschel Walker in the senate with his pilot comment. It blows my mind that the Democrats keep their #1 weapon at bay until the last couple weeks of the election cycle while we have to hear Trump 24/7/365.
Schumer and Pelosi are skilled politicians and masters of the Washington game. Mitch McConnell, too. I’m sure they are nice people. The only mandate out of this election, and the last several, is that the American people are sick and tired of politics as usual. The game they play hasn’t worked for so many of us for so long. The octogenarians running congress need to go and, thank God, the only thing the voting public hates worse are anti-democratic crackpots.
I absolutely agree that the win was NOT a result of Schumer, but in spite of him. I have been wondering, "where is my party" for years. And I am a Boomer looking for young leadership. Who would you suggest as we go forward,?