memeorandum: More Democrats fear the party's image isn't just damaged

12:10 PM ET, November 10, 2024

Top Items:

More Democrats fear the party's image isn't just damaged - it's broken — Everyone agrees they lost the working class, but they're deeply divided on where to place the blame — and what to do about it. — Democrats are having a full-blown identity crisis.

Discussion: Rolling Stone, UnHerd, Jacobin, Washington Examiner and MSNBC

emptywheel:

Two Elections: “The rules were that you guys weren't going to fact-check” — I want to elaborate on something I said on Nicole Sandler's show on Friday. There were really two elections last Tuesday. — In one, politics worked. — In the other, propaganda worked far better.

Discussion: The Federalist

Zachary Basu / Axios:

Bernie vs. Nancy: Dems' working-class reckoning … - “While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. … - “Will the big money interests and well-paid consultants who control the Democratic Party learn any real lessons from this disastrous campaign?”

Discussion: Washington Examiner, The Hill, Fox News, Breitbart, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, Daily Mail, Mediaite, The Independent, The Gateway Pundit, What's New Today and New York Times

Ben Davis / The Guardian:
None of the conventional explanations for Trump's victory stand up to scrutiny

Discussion: Raw Story, NBC News, New York Times, Las Vegas Review-Journal, The Dispatch and CNN

Jake Traylor / NBC News:
Trump wins Arizona, flipping a swing state Biden won in 2020

Discussion: USA Today, New York Times, The Root, Wall Street Journal, Axios, Politico, Bloomberg, MPR News, Washington Examiner, Associated Press, The Gateway Pundit and New York Post

Don Moynihan / Can We Still Govern?:

Who is allowed to practice identity politics? — I don't really know why Kamala Harris lost. The best explanation I've seen is that Harris ran into a buzzsaw of anti-incumbent post-pandemic disillusionment that has played out across the developed world. You can add more strategic …

Helen Lewis / The Atlantic:

The Democrats Need an Honest Conversation on Gender Identity — One of the mysteries of this election is how the Democrats approached polling day with a set of policies on gender identity that they were neither proud to champion—nor prepared to disown. — Although most Americans agree …

Discussion: Fox News and USA Today

Greg Sargent / New Republic:
Why Did Trump Win? These Dems Have Discovered a Very Disturbing Answer

Discussion: Balloon Juice and Washington Examiner

New York Times:

Unions Bet Big on Harris. Now They're Bracing for Consequences. — Government unions, service worker unions and industrial unions all face possible repercussions from Donald Trump's victory, but not necessarily all the same kind. — Besides the Harris campaign and its affiliated political …

Discussion: San Diego Union-Tribune and WPMT

Noam Scheiber / New York Times:
Trump Is Expected to Upend Biden Labor Policies Favoring Unions

Discussion: Marginal REVOLUTION

Victor Hagan / USA Today:

Donald Trump says he won't ask Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo to join his second administration — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday he will not ask his former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley or his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to serve in his incoming administration.

Skylar Woodhouse / Bloomberg:
Donald Trump Says He Won't Invite Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo to Join Administration

Discussion: Breitbart, What's New Today, The Gateway Pundit, The Independent, Fox News and The Daily Caller

Neil Irwin / Axios:

Democrats' $1.9 trillion bet that blew up — Nearly four years ago, the Biden administration and Congressional Democrats made a $1.9 trillion bet in the form of the American Rescue Plan. They lost, as it contributed to a surge in inflation that fueled massive voter discontent and Donald Trump's return to the White House.

Carole Cadwalladr / The Guardian:

A new era dawns. America's tech bros now strut their stuff in the corridors of power — The era that began with the Great Disruptor's first term is over. Beware the emerging elite — In hindsight, 2016 was the beginning of the beginning. And 2024 is the end of that beginning and the start of something much, much worse.

Caroline Vakil / The Hill:

Gallego defeats Lake in Arizona Senate race — Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) is projected to beat Republican Kari Lake in a consequential race for Arizona Senate, dealing the former local news anchor her second straight electoral loss, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Discussion: RedState, NPR, Townhall, New York Post, Scripps News, Mark It Down!, The Gateway Pundit and Deseret News

Alexandra Marquez / NBC News:

Sen. Bernie Sanders says he does not support urging Justice Sonia Sotomayor to step down — In an interview on “Meet the Press,” the senator said it would not be “sensible” to ask Sotomayor to step down while Biden is still in office. — Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on Sunday defended …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal

Stef W. Kight / Axios:

Scoop: Tom Cotton locks down the votes for Senate GOP's #3 job … - Cotton had been a serious contender for top positions in a Trump administration, but he decided to remain in the Senate, as Axios first reported. — Cotton's expected win on Wednesday would box out Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) from leadership entirely.

Discussion: Washington Examiner

Associated Press:

Trump on Day 1: Begin deportation push, pardon Jan. 6 rioters and make his criminal cases vanish — Donald Trump has said he wouldn't be a dictator — “except for Day 1.” According to his own statements, he's got a lot to do on that first day in the White House.

Matthew Kaminski / Politico:

Can Trump be the New Reagan? — A clear victory gives the president-elect a strength and credibility on the world stage that he lacked eight years ago. — Eight years ago, at a post-election breakfast party we threw in POLITICO's Brussels offices, I watched Donald Trump claim victory …