Following Historic Losses In 2016, Democrats Make The Same Mistakes With "Tour" - Catering To The Far-Left Elements Of Their Party
TOP TAKEAWAYS
- After a road trip around the country in March calling for a "Turnaround" of the Democratic Party, The Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tom Perez is launching yet another tour with self-described socialist Senator Bernie Sanders.
- These tours cannot hide the continued deep divisions between the Democratic establishment led by DNC Chair Perez, and the progressive wing of the party led by Senator Sanders.
- Democrats seem to be following in the footsteps of former Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, who had multiple messaging and strategy resets throughout her campaign in 2016.
- It doesn't matter what you call it or how many talking tours are launched, Democrats are still deeply divided and at an all-time low across the country.
FOLLOWING THE DNC TURNAROUND TOUR JUST LAST MONTH, DNC CHAIRMAN PEREZ AND SENATOR SANDERS ARE HITTING THE ROAD AGAIN TO ATTEMPT TO SALVAGE THEIR FRAGMENTED PARTY
Democrats Launch Another Tour To Talk At "Neglected" Voters In States "Their Party Lost"
Starting on April 17th, Senator Sanders And DNC Chairman Tom Perez Will Be Traveling To Maine, Kentucky, Florida, Nebraska, Utah, Montana, Arizona, and Nevada On A Tour Called "Come Together And Fight Back." "Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez, Sen. Bernie Sanders and other Democrat leaders plan to visit purple and red states next week as part of an effort to increase grassroots activism. The states that will be visited include Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and Utah. Of these states, Nevada was the only state to go blue in the 2016 presidential election. Maine had a split electoral vote, with three of its votes going to Hillary Clinton and one going to Donald Trump. The 'Come Together and Fight Back' tour begins April 17." (Jessica Estepa, "Democrats Announce 'Come Together And Fight Back' Tour," USA Today, 04/10/17)
Sen. Sanders And Perez "Will Travel To States Their Party Lost" In The 2016 Presidential Election "To Make Amends" With "Neglected" Democratic Voters . "Perez and Sanders will travel to states their party lost beginning on April 17 until April 22. The tour aims to make amends with Democratic voters who felt neglected during the 2016 presidential election." (Jason Stormer, "Bernie Sanders, Tom Perez Team Up To Save The Democratic Party," Salon, 04/08/17)
This Tour Is On The Heels Of Perez's First "Democratic Turnaround Tour" Just A Month Ago In March. "Starting later this month, the pair will embark on what they are calling a 'Democratic Turnaround Tour' that hits a collection of states that the party lost in 2016 and where there are ongoing races. The first stops, beginning March 24, are in Detroit and Flint, Michigan - where Hillary Clinton was the first Democrat to lose since 1988." (Gabriel Debenedetti, "Perez, Ellison Embark On Unity Tour," Politico, 03/08/17)
COME TOGETHER? TURNAROUND? FIGHT BACK? NO MATTER THE NAME, DEMOCRATIC FACTIONS CAN'T HIDE THE OPEN RIFT IN THEIR PARTY ON FUTURE STRATEGY AND POLICY
Perez and Democrat Establishment Leaders Believe That Their Failures Stem From A Messaging Problem "More Than A Flawed Platform"
Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight Reports: "That Progressives Want The Party To Pivot To The Left On Economic Issues, In The Vein Of Bernie Sanders's Democratic Socialism. The Establishment Sees The 2016 Presidential Election Loss As A Failure Of Strategy And Message More Than A Flawed Platform." (Galen Druke and Clare Malone, "The Future Of The Democratic Party, According To The Bernie Sanders Wing," FiveThirtyEight, 02/16/17)
In An Interview With Think Progress, Perez Stated, "Our Message Still Resonates When We Can Communicate It Effectively." "'Our message still resonates when we can communicate it effectively: Democrats are the party that brought you good jobs across America, that brought you Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security.'" (Alice Miranda Ollstein, "Tom Perez Wants To Lead A More Aggressive, More Local Democratic Party," Think Progress, 02/09/17)
Perez Told Michigan Radio "We [Democrats] Didn't Do A Good Enough Job Of Communicating Our Mission, Our Message And Our Vision To Voters." "'We didn't do a good enough job of communicating our mission, our message, and our vision to voters,' he said. 'And that's exactly why we're here, listening and learning and putting our values into action.'" (Stateside Staff, "DNC Chair Begins National 'Turnaround Tour' In Michigan, Signaling Renewed Focus On State," Michigan Radio, 03/24/17)
Observer Columnist Michael Sainato: "Perez Backs The Same Failed Strategies That Have Run The Democratic Party Into The Ground Over The Last Decade." "The DNC chair race is the Democratic Party's last opportunity to make a unifying concession to progressives, who were cheated and disenfranchised during the Democratic primaries by former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Wasserman Schultz resigned in embarrassment after Wikileaks released emails confirming she violated Section 5 Article 4 of the DNC Charter to help Clinton. However, the Democratic Party has yet to acknowledge the damage they caused by anointing Clinton as their presidential nominee... Perez backs the same failed strategies that have run the Democratic Party into the ground over the last decade." (Michael Sainato, "There's No Saving The Democratic Party If Tom Perez Wins DNC Chair," Observer, 02/16/17)
Los Angeles Times' Michael Finnegan Observed That Perez Has "Signaled No Shift In Direction With Its Agenda." " Perez is embarking this month on a 'Democratic turnaround tour' of Michigan, Texas, Virginia and New Jersey with the new DNC deputy chair, Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota. Perez outlined the party's core values but signaled no shift in direction with its agenda." (Michael Finnegan, "Democrats Abandoned Rural American: Won't Happen Again, Says New DNC Leader," Los Angeles Times, 03/21/17)
- Michael Finnegan: "Perez…Offered Little Details On What Changes The Party Would Make To Win Over President Trump's Supporters" In "Rural and Small-Town America." " In an interview with The Times, Perez was candid about some of the party's failures in 2016, most notably its abandonment of vast stretches of rural and small-town America. But Perez, 55, who was Labor secretary under President Obama, offered little detail on what changes the party would make to win over President Trump's supporters in those areas." (Michael Finnegan, "Democrats Abandoned Rural American: Won't Happen Again, Says New DNC Leader," Los Angeles Times, 03/21/17)
The Guardian's Sabrina Siddiqui And Lauren Gambino Noted That At A Recent Democrat Retreat, Party Leaders "Espoused Trite Slogans" And Said "Senior Democrats See Little If Any Cause For Major Change." "The three-day Baltimore retreat exposed discord within the ranks, but largely the same leadership espoused trite slogans that long predated Trump. It was clear that senior Democrats see little if any cause for major change." (Sabrina Siddiqui and Lauren Gambino, "Fight For All? Democratic Party Seeks Relevance And Resonance Under Trump," The Guardian, 02/10/17)
- Rep. Pelosi Refuses To Acknowledge There Are Division Within The Democratic Party. " At the Baltimore retreat, assurances that Democrats were unified were sometimes betrayed. Progressives, for example, reportedly walked out of a presentation hosted by the centrist thinktank Third Way on Wednesday evening. 'I didn't notice that,' Pelosi said on Thursday morning. 'Members walk out for a variety of reasons - some of them relate to personal hygiene.' Was she saying there were no divisions in the party? 'Yeah, that's what I'm saying,' Pelosi answered, through a mouthful of cookie from Vaccaro's bakery in Baltimore's Little Italy, where she grew up." (Sabrina Siddiqui and Lauren Gambino, "Fight For All? Democratic Party Seeks Relevance And Resonance Under Trump," The Guardian, 02/10/17)
On The Other Hand, Senator Sanders And The Progressive Wing, Already Wary Of The Establishment, Believe "The Same-Old, Same-Old Isn't Working" And That The Party Needs "A Total Transformation"
In A Fundraising Email To Supporters About The Upcoming Tour, Politico's Gabriel Debenedetti Notes That Sen. Sanders Fail To Mention The Words "DNC" Or "Perez." "Yesterday Bernie sent backers a long letter about his upcoming nat'l tour, which is w Tom Perez. Not included: the words 'DNC' or 'Perez.'" (Gabriel Debenedetti, Twitter Feed, 04/12/17)
Shortly After His Election To DNC Chair, Sen. Sanders Reminded Perez That "The Same-Old, Same-Old Isn't Working And That We Must Bring In Working And Young People In A New Way." "It's imperative Tom [Perez] understands that the same-old, same-old isn't working and that we must bring in working and young people in a new way." (Sen. Bernie Sanders, Twitter Feed, 02/25/17)
Sen. Sanders Said, "Tom [Perez] Said That The Democratic Party Had To Be Refocused, Had To Be Rebuilt, And I Trust That He Will Keep Those Promises." "'Running for chair, Tom said that his views were not substantially different than Keith Ellison's, who I strongly supported,' Sanders said. 'I'm sorry he did not win. But during that campaign, Tom said that the Democratic Party had to be refocused, had to be rebuilt, and I trust that he will keep those promises. The fact that he's prepared to travel with me around the country and pick up half the cost of this is a positive sign.'" (David Weigel, "Bernie Sanders And DNC Chair Tom Perez To United For Cross-Country Tour," The Washington Post, 04/06/17)
Sen. Sanders Admitted That The Democratic Party "Has Turned Its Back On Working People In Literally Half The Country." "'We'll be traveling - and Tom will be traveling with me - to traditionally conservative states,' Sanders said. 'It's absolutely absurd that the Democratic Party has turned its back on working people in literally half the country.'" (David Weigel, "Bernie Sanders And DNC Chair Tom Perez To United For Cross-Country Tour," The Washington Post, 04/06/17)
Sen. Sanders Said Some People In The Democratic Party "Want To Maintain The Status Quo" And Would Rather "Go Down With The Titanic So Long As They Have First Class Seats." "I asked him if he thought the Democratic Party knew what it stood for. 'You're asking a good question, and I can't give you a definitive answer,' he [Sanders] said. 'Certainly there are some people in the Democratic Party who want to maintain the status quo. They would rather go down with the Titanic so long as they have first-class seats.'" (Charles Homans, "The New Party Of No," The New York Times, 03/13/17)
Jonathan Tasini, National Surrogate For Bernie Sanders' Presidential Campaign, Critiqued The DNC Saying A Recent Meeting Was "Startling For Its Lack Of Any Deep Introspection About The Party's Failure." "Indeed, the recent DNC meeting stood out more for its startling lack of any deep introspection about the party's failure beyond empty slogans of needing to 'unify' and to 'connect with the American people.'" (Jonathan Tasini, Op-Ed, "Will Tom Perez Bring The Real Change The Democratic Party Needs?" The Hill, 02/28/17)
In February 2017, Sen. Sanders Called For A "Total Transformation" Of The Democratic Party. SANDERS: "'We need a total transformation. We have got to open up the party to working people, to young people, and make it crystal clear that the Democratic Party is going to take on Wall Street, it's going to take on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry, it's going to take on corporate America that is shutting down plants in this country and moving our jobs abroad." (CNN's, " State Of The Union," 02/26/17)
Sen. Sanders Called For A "Fundamental Reassessment" Of The Democratic Party That Cannot Be "Dependent On Big Money Interests And Campaign Fundraisers." "'I think it's time for a fundamental reassessment,' Sanders tells NPR's Robert Siegel, 'and I think what that reassessment has got to entail is to understand that we cannot have a party that will win, if we continue to become dependent on big money interests and campaign fundraisers all over this country.'" (Robert Siegel, "Bernie Sanders Call For 'Fundamental Reassessment' Of Democratic Party," National Public Radio, 11/14/16)
The Far-Left And Senator Sanders Have Criticized The Democrat Party In Recent Days Over Strategy In Special House Elections
Sen. Sanders Criticized The Democrat Party Sunday For Not Doing More In The Kansas House Race. "Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said Sunday that Democrats should have done more to help a special election candidate in last week's surprisingly close Kansas race. Democrat James Thompson, a veteran and civil rights attorney who Sanders endorsed, lost by just 6 percentage points to Republican Kansas Treasurer Ron Estes in the heavily Republican 4th District. Progressives have criticized the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and national strategists for not doing more to help Thompson win. 'It is true that the Democratic Party should have put more resources into that election,' Sanders said on CNN's 'State of the Union' of the Thompson campaign." (Kevin Robillard, "Sanders: Democrats Should Have Put More Into Kansas Special," Politico, 04/16/16)
Sen. Sanders Former Campaign Team Has Been Very Critical Of Recent DNC Strategy. "Bernie Sanders' former presidential campaign team, now running a group called Our Revolution, piled on: 'The Democratic Party can no longer ignore districts that they consider "safe" for Republicans.' Even the Democratic candidate in Kansas himself said the party needs to become active everywhere - even in conservative districts and states. '(DCCC) and DNC need to be doing a 50-state strategy,' said James Thompson in his concession speech." (Alex Roarty, "Liberals Fume At Democratic Establishment For Refusing To Take More Risk," McClatchy, 04/13/17)
DEMOCRATS NEW RESET PLAN IS REMINISCENT OF CLINTON'S FAILED RESET STRATEGY DURING THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
The Newest Democrat Reset Strategy Harkens Back To Clinton's Many Shifts In Campaign Strategy And Messaging Following Missteps and Failures
In March of 2015, MSNBC's Chris Matthews Reported On Hillary Clinton's "Reset" Where She Wanted "To Start Over With The Press." CHRIS MATTHEWS: "And up next, Hillary Clinton wants to start over with the press. I can`t way [sic] to hear about the reset button from these experts here." (MSNBC's, " Hardball," 03/24/15)
Then, In September 2015, The Clinton Campaign Was "Hoping For A Post-Labor Day Reset" When Clinton Decided To Change Her Messaging On The Use Of Her Personal Email Account During Her Time At The State Department. " Five months have passed since we first fact checked Hillary Clinton's arguments defending her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state. The controversy has not gone away, and the Clinton campaign, hoping for a post-Labor Day reset, is ramping up its defense." (Domenico Montanaro and Tamara Keith, "Fact Check: Hillary Clinton's Email Defense Is A Mixed Bag," National Public Radio, 09/11/15)
Clinton Again Shifted Her Focus In February 2016, Following Clinton's Primary Loss In New Hampshire, When She "Pivoted To A Comprehensive Rewrite Of Her Messaging Strategy." "All the support in the world couldn't shield Clinton from the magnitude of the dispiriting New Hampshire loss, and she mused about accelerating a staff review that had been planned for the spring. Yet when a POLITICO story popped on the eve of the primary, she ordered her staff to knock it down, even though it was true - and pivoted to a comprehensive rewrite of her messaging strategy, according to people close to Clinton." (Glenn Thrush and Annie Karni, "How Clinton Hit The Reset Button On 2016," Politico, 03/03/16)
THERE IS NO NUMBER OF TOURS THAT WILL CHANGE THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY "HAS HIT BOTTOM" FROM A "NOVEMBER ROUTE" WITH NO CLEAR PATH FORWARD
Democrats Have Lost Over A Thousand State And Federal Seats Under Obama And Has Less Representation In The Government "Than It Has Had In More Than 80 Years"
The Democratic Party, With Less Power In Federal And State Government Than It Has Had In More Than 80 Years, Is Juggling Competing Internal Pressures As It Tries To Chart A Path Out Of The Wilderness. (Galen Druke and Clare Malone, "The Future Of The Democratic Party, According To The Bernie Sanders Wing," FiveThirtyEight, 02/16/17)
During President Obama's Tenure, Democrats Lost 1,042 State And Federal Democratic Posts. "The Democratic Party suffered huge losses at every level during Obama's West Wing tenure. The grand total: a net loss of 1,042 state and federal Democratic posts, including congressional and state legislative seats, governorships and the presidency." ("Democrats Lost Over 1,000 Seats Under Obama," Fox News, 12/27/16)
- Democratic Seats In The Senate Fell From 55 To 46. "Democratic U.S. Senate seats fell from 55 to 46." ("Democrats Lost Over 1,000 Seats Under Obama," Fox News, 12/27/16)
- Democrats Seats In The House Fell From 256 To 194. "Their share of the House plummeted from 256 seats to 194." ("Democrats Lost Over 1,000 Seats Under Obama," Fox News, 12/27/16)
- Democratic Governorships Fell From 28 To 16. "Democratic governerships also became a rarity during this eight-year period, slipping from 28 to 16." ("Democrats Lost Over 1,000 Seats Under Obama," Fox News, 12/27/16)
"After The 2016 Election, Republicans Hold Power In 67 Of The 98 State Chambers, And, For The First Time In History, Control Every State House In The South." (Jonathan Tasini, "Will Tom Perez Bring The Real Change The Democratic Party Needs?" The Hill, 02/28/17)
Los Angeles Times' Michael Finnegan Said Perez, "Can Only Hope That The Democratic Party Has Hit Bottom" From A "November Rout." "Tom Perez can only hope that the Democratic Party has hit bottom. He has taken over as chairman of the Democratic National Committee just as the party is struggling to recover from a November rout that left Republicans in charge of the White House, both houses of Congress and most of the nation's governorships and state legislative chambers. It's hard to imagine how things could get any worse in 2018 or 2020." (Michael Finnegan, "Democrats Abandoned Rural American: Won't Happen Again, Says New DNC Leader," Los Angeles Times, 03/21/17)
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