In Tuesday’s recall elections in Wisconsin, Democrats ousted two Republican incumbents but were unable to win enough seats to take control of the State Senate. That may be because Democratic strategists advised candidates to avoid discussing union issues and to "soften and dumb down" their pro-labor message. 

On MSNBC’s Hardball, John Nichols discusses why the Democratic Party in Wisconsin, and President Obama, have been reluctant to defend working people and advance a pro-labor, pro-jobs agenda—and how that reluctance may cost them in future elections. 

—Kevin Donohoe