Briefing: Ari Berman & Karen Finney on Mobilizing the Democratic Base

Briefing: Ari Berman & Karen Finney on Mobilizing the Democratic Base

Briefing: Ari Berman & Karen Finney on Mobilizing the Democratic Base

As the Tea Partiers and the GOP’s committed base amp up their efforts ahead of the fast-approaching midterms, the Democrats can’t match the right’s fervor. Where did they go so wrong in mobilizing their base?

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As the Tea Partiers and the GOP’s committed base amp up their efforts ahead of the fast-approaching midterms, the Democrats can’t seem to match the right’s fervor. Where did the Democrats go so wrong in mobilizing their base? Did Obama’s pandering to the center and big business alienate too many voters who believed in change? And what could he have learned from Howard Dean in building a movement?

Ari Berman, Nation contributor and author of Herding Donkeys: The Fight to Rebuild the Democratic Party and Reshape American Politics and Democratic strategist Karen Finney who served as the Director of Communications at the Democratic National Committee drop by GRITtv to explain just how far the Democrats have to go to win back their political momentum.

The Nation on GRIT TV is a weekly video collaboration between The Nation and GRIT TV with Laura Flanders. Watch for Monday briefings, Wednesday commentaries, weekend conversations and more at TheNation.com. For full half-hour episodes of The Nation on GRIT TV, or local television air times visit www.grittv.org.

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With the midterm elections now firmly upon us, the question is whether Democratic candidates will do more than merely occupy ballot lines as mild alternatives to the red-hot crisis that is Donald Trump.

As Trump spends over $1 billion a day on a globally destabilizing war on Iran and admits that he doesn’t “think about Americans’ financial situation,” millions across the country are struggling with the surging costs of essentials. Democrats must seize this moment and advance bold, small-“d” populist ideas—not settle for cynical caution that once again snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.

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Onward,

Katrina vanden Heuvel
Editor and Publisher, The Nation

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