Not a Mainer, but this entire Platner thing has been a sign that while you can say all the right things, you have to be aware of the rest of your life when you're running for office. I still think he will beat Collins, but the dude needs to be honest.
More concerned about Sherrill's recent apparent missteps in NJ. Gov. Sherrill should be out there today saying that she has heard the voices and that the NJ State Police are going to be directly ordered to protect (not assault) protesters, and anyone on the NJSP who doesn't like that is going to find themselves demoted or put on desk jobs. ICE doesn't need protecting, but the people of NJ do.
💯 I am pretty dispirited about using any of my precious time or money to support centrist Dems if they aren't going to hang together with people trying to stop a concentration camp, but rather actively let them hang individually.
Simon, How can someone donate to individual candidates electronically without going through your link, which is Act Blue. People are happy to go through Hopium but ActBlue is a deal breaker because it then inundates the giver and overwhelms their email and text with donation requests. HELP!
But that isn't true, Joan. ActBlue does not share its lists. The campaigns sell their lists, and when you donate you become part of their email lists. I am working to create an opt-out of signing up for a campaign email when giving but the attacks on ActBlue as a platform are misinformed.
Chris please stop this. We don't encourage this process because we will not get credit for the contributions as a community. It's perhaps narrow minded but I do not want to undermine the integrity of either ActBlue or our ActBlue process for it moves billions and billions of dollars efficiently and powerfully for us, and I do not want to contribute to a campaign to undermine the integrity of its vital work.
I will take the feedback here and get back to folks but TO BE CLEAR - ActBlue does not share lists and encourage emails and texts to you. The campaigns do that.
Hi Simon - I WANT to be included in Hopium's totals because I am proud to be a part of the group. Yes, I get emails from the campaigns I've donated to, and I simply unsubscribe from them. It's not onerous in the least. Thanks for helping us spend our limited political philanthropy wisely!
Thank you for letting me know. I don’t think finding physical addresses is part of your job description, but you might let the campaigns know that providing physical addresses on their Web sites and allowing a button displayed prominently for donors to opt out of having their email address or any other information shared might elicit more contributions.
Joan, one approach would be to set up a separate email just for donating to campaigns and other social causes. I have done this in the past. That email will in fact get overrun with additional requests but at least that leaves your day to day email address less cluttered.
Well, my phone has blown up with tons of requests from all over the country, and I just accept that I spend about 10-15 minutes each day texting STOP or Stop2End or EndtoEnd or whatever they want. 'Tis the season, and it's a small price to pay for being "a plucky patriot."
Except for local races, all my political donating goes through Hopium. So thanks again Simon, for this wonderful service as it really allows me to ignore all these requests and just scroll down to the bottom of text to End.
That's how I feel too. My phone now filters texts from "unknown" texters, and I'm able to mass delete those, and hey, it's just part of taking a more active role in politics these days. Not as bad as surviving a winter in Valley Forge without shoes. I'm glad for the advice on donating strategically and making meaningful investments, as with state parties.
agree completely. am I such a snowflake I can't unsubscribe to some things? plus, often unsubscribe with regret b/c so many great candidates running all over the country
When I have unsubscribed, they ignore it. That ruins what I am trying to do is conserve my time. As a result, I delete and report as spam which hurts the sender using multiple phone numbers to contact me. I don't like hurting campaigns as spam, but it seems like the only alternative and also an ineffective one at that.
I'm really disappointed about the Platner thing, but again, vetting is a thing for a reason, and so is campaign strategy team. They need to get a handle on this. And I've really kinda soured on the Pod Save crew (aside from Ben Rhodes). They have been really harsh on Ken Martin and don't like the 50 state strategy -- yeah, bc they were on the crew that dismantled it. Clearly they are taking it personally. Well if the shoe fits...
Things in Delaney not great. The governor badly misjudged by inserting state police, who have bad history w brutality v POC. They are trying to create "free speech zones" and keep pro-ICE protestors separated from anti-ICE. Sounds good on paper, but the cops are clearly not on the side of free speech and have been very aggressive v. peaceful protestors. The mayor has put in a curfew, but there needs to be someone on the ground who can funnel reliable info to Sherrill & AG Davenport so they can get a handle on this pronto before someone gets badly injured. The "Garden State Deplorables" trundled up there over the weekend and have been taunting protestors and acting just like you would think they would, which is why governor did what she did. Clearly it's not working and she needs to go to Plan B. In the meantime, very proud of Sen. Kim, who has been all over the place continuing to pull us back to the big picture--closure of the facility and the human rights issues of the detainees. Rep. Frank Pallone from NJ-06 has been there multiple times; Sen. Booker needs to go back.
Busy week of advocacy: meeting w local League of Women voters to strategize on voter registration here on campus and in community, and a Moms Demand event supporting gun violence survivors. Plugging away at the postcards.
Thanks for this update on Delaney, Lisa. I'm going to make ICE the focus of my calls to Tillis and Budd today (NC traitors, as you call your rep).
I agree with you on the Pod Save guys. Their voices just drip with condescension when they speak -- for the voters, for the DNC, and for Democrats they deem unworthy. I have long thought that the GOP condescended on moral grounds and the Democrats on intellectual grounds and find both offensive. I appreciate Simon's tone so much because his condemnation is reserved for the MAGA politicians (where it belongs) and never for the voters or other Democrats.
once again, dems trying to clean up republican screwups...and it is difficult work that often leaves everyone unhappy. except the r's of course, who will now say the governor can't handle it....
I interpreted it as Sherrill taking control of the LE presence - appreciate your updates on what is happening. I saw that Dan Goldman reported on the private prison side of it - that despite being subjected to the worst conditions, 'inmates' work for $1.00 perday, further enriching prison owners [my phrasing]. so much is wrong with this.
Thank you for the detailed update on Delaney. My social media feed this morning was devastating to Sherrill (eg Jess Craven) and a friend told me there was a recall vote being discussed on MSNOW last night. Sherrill needs to get ahead of this event…NOW.
While I have strong criticisms of how Ken Martin handled the autopsy report I totally agree that the 50-state strategy- first started by Howard Dean as I recall - was deconstructed I believe by the Obama team (OFA?). Dean was right then, and Martin is right now.
That Ossoff speech is amazing! He does a great job of tying together affordability, corruption, and attacks on our democracy -- and showing how they are interconnected. I've always been a sucker for a good speech and he's been giving a lot of them lately.
I called Congressman Raskin and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen to say that the president is out of touch with reality (see, e.g., this weekend's insane social media posts) and must be removed from office. I'm writing postcards to Ohio voters.
Ossof’s speech gave me shivers. Passionate delivery, great content,and crowd energy. My poli-crush on him continues. I can say the same for Senator Rev. Warnock.
Agree! Two GREAT Senators and outstanding representatives for our Party and what we stand for. People ask, "what are Democrats for? It's not enough just to be against Trump." Very true. And listening to these smart, passionate, compassionate Senators will tell you a lot about what Ds stand for.
Ossoff is sort of the orator version of Timothy Snyder: he is superb at linking these critical issues together, clearly and movingly. Sarah Longwell said in an interview that he is one of the people she can see leading the pro-democracy movement toward victory.
Daily calls are in to D and R members regarding the 4 points you highlighted in today’s post. Thanks for all your research and insight. It’s greatly appreciated.
When Ken Paxton—an admitted serial adulterer and easily the second most corrupt politician in the U.S.—won the GOP primary in TX, every single GOP messaging apparatus rushed to his support and started attacking his opponent. Fox news. Nearly all GOP Senators. The NRSC. The RNC. Etc. The show of support was truly remarkable and impressive.
Same on Trump. Same on dozens of seriously flawed GOP elected officials. Yes, elected.
That’a how you win in the current political environment. The GOP knows this. They project strength and confidence in their candidates no matter the flaws. It energizes the base and captures a huge swath of independent voters who consider weakness and equivocation the worst of all political flaws.
And at this point, I think the vast majority of Dem voters simply want to win. They want to win at pretty much any cost. The cause is just. We are saving our democracy. We need the same cult-like devotion in electing folks who will save our democracy, and we are smart enough to do it without the scary intellectual detachment you see with the GOP base.
Platner is going to be our nominee. The primary hasn’t even been close. No other candidate touched his charisma and ability to connect with voters.
I don't have time to respond to this right now but I think there are many, many problems with this line of argument particularly this:
"We need the same cult-like devotion in electing folks who will save our democracy." No we don't need to act like we are in a mindless cult FFS. That's the very opposite of what a democracy is.
Respectfully I disagree. I don’t think we’re a cult if we don’t find the Platner transgression in this political environment and at this point in the process disqualifying. I would much prefer Democrats framing this issue as a personal matter between Graham and Amy, and to be pounding the fact that Susan Collins’ actions in confirming Brett Kavanaugh - a person who faced allegations of sexual misconduct that were not seriously investigated - are actually far my dangerous to women than Graham’s kink.
Some quick notes here as promised, and goal here is to keep it repsectful and the discourse truthful as we move forward in a tough moment for Democrats. 1) I stand by my comments in WaPo above, and note that I went to the Maine Dem Convention a few weeks ago at their request to give a talk about the need to come together around all our candidates after the primary; and we are among the largest funders of the ME Dem Party in the country. 2) Would strongly advise Platner supporters to NOT lean into he's the Dem Paxton analogy. Would never mention Paxton, Trump etc. That analogy is hurtful to Platner. 3) What you write here abt Rs all lining behind Paxton simply isn't true. Rs in Texas impeached Paxton; the NRSC, the party, ran tens of millions of ads against him; in making their 2026 ad buy announcements GOP left Texas off the list, and have not yet announced that they are going to spend to defend him; I included articles here last week AFTER the primary of Republicans talking shit against Paxton. As of today the NRSC is NOT ON BOARD. 4) Paxton is a proven winner in TX statewide elections with strong backing of Trump. He's a Republican through and through. Platner has never run, never been vetted, and is attacking the mainstream party. These are very different situations. Bothsider them at your peril. 5) What happened this weekend made the cost of Platner winning far more expensive. This is the consideration that all party committees make, every day - can he win? How much will it cost? Is it worth the investment? That's the discussion that Rs are having now about Paxton, and what I raised in the WaPo piece - this thing just got harder, more expensive, and that's without any more coming out. More money for Maine means less money for AK, OH, etc. Hence the legit concern. 6) This is not a left-right thing. Platner has done deeply offensive things over and over. He wore a genocidal symbol on his chest for years. I have deep sympathy for people here saying there are a lot of other great candidates and I am just going to take a pass on him. Platner supporters would be wise to recognize the depth of concern about this behavior in the family and work to earn people's support. Telling them to line up like a cult and get on board is not effective sales pitch in a pro-democracy movement. We have respectful debates, discussions, and people can make up their own minds about things. Democrats are nothing like Republicans nor should we ever aspire to be like, or emulate, a fascistic, authoritarian movement.
Treat folks here with respect by being truthful and recognizing the concern out there about his both his behavior and viability is how things like this should happen at Hopium. Need to keep the temperature down and the arguments respectful and truthful. For as you say this is not a moment for bullshit. The stakes are too high. Onward - Simon
Good points, all. However, it is absolutely maddening to be presented with a formidable-sounding candidate, inundated with rosy ads and plugs, etc., only - (after getting one's hopes up) - to be ambushed by not-so-rosy-after-all information, that probably wasn't much of a secret to begin with. Our candidate-selection process needs some work because we need the best people we can find. Not saints - there aren't many of those around - but really sharp and trustworthy contenders. The only qualifications for office seem to be age and nationality. We could use a few more.
I'm with you and "Vote Blue No Matter Who." The revelations about Platner are discouraging but barring a miracle, he will be the Dem nominee. And in a match against Collins, he will be better. Even if he pulls a Fetterman, I'd rather have a Dem who votes with the party 90%+ than Collins who votes 90%+ with MAGA.
Lastly, we need to support Platner as a show of good faith support to progressives. We ask them to bite the bullet and accept what leaders like Schumer and Jefferies have the party do, we ought to support their candidate to show "Vote Blue" is a two way street.
I disagree with this partly. We don’t need to support Platner for any of those reasons. The only thing we need to support is him helping provide control of the senate.
Beyond that, Platner isn’t deserving of support beyond what he earns through his words and actions. Nobody needs to throw a bone to progressives. We need to win and do the right thing for the people and for our democracy. That will increase trust in government and in the party, and then people will trust leadership to endorse and vet future candidates.
The current problem is that people clearly want some version of the populism Platner is selling, just not necessarily Platner himself. The party left that lane open for him by putting Mills up against him and he walked right into the nomination. The party needs to fix that or this kind of thing will keep happening.
I get wanting to win and not being mired in morality especially when the other side gets to do stupid and illegal shit yet lose no support. But if we want to have a chance in a general election, we have to have some expertise and the ones running Platner’s campaign are a disaster. From Joohn Choe:
“Platner's campaign strategist thought that Genevieve McDonald maliciously leaked the new scandal to the Wall Street Journal and tried, frankly rather stupidly, to coerce her into retracting.
McDonald is explaining here that "no, I wasn't the leaker, but then this idiotic manchild tried to coerce me, so I went to The New York Times."
And that's why we're all talking about Platner today.
It is the outcome of an apparently (pardon me) rather shitshow Senate campaign being strategized by a child.
The video put out by Platner's wife, Amy Gertner, notably does not mention Genevieve McDonald by name or by implicature; she blames "outlets" for gossip. And the sourcing for The New York Times story to McDonald came after the Wall Street Journal already contacted her - though, notably, not as the sole source on the Platner story.
And the reason why there are people attacking McDonald as the source for the allegations against Platner right now - really, the reason for the NYT story in general - seems to come from one strategist associated with the Platner campaign, Morris Katz, who has lied about his age and also worked on (again, this makes sense) Fetterman's campaign.
I'm gonna say this was kind of a f**k-up on that guy's part.
Like, let's just pretend for a second that Katz was completely right and McDonald WAS actually the primary source on those allegations about Platner's Kik profile.
How in the world was that kind of confrontation supposed to get her to do what he wanted?
If he WAS actually talking to someone out to damage the campaign, how in the hell was he not digging his grave even deeper with his jaw by threatening her with, essentially, defamation?
Maine is a ONE-PARTY CONSENT STATE - you can legally record a conversation or phone call as long as at least one person involved in the conversation gives consent. Katz could have reasonably expected that McDonald would record him; if McDonald didn't record that threat actually I'd be mildly surprised.
Do these people not have, like, lawyers to do this kind of thing for them?
Just poor judgment. Really, really ill-thought-out.“
Assuming that nothing else comes out about Platner, the timing is okay. It's slightly before the primary (so the voters *in theory* have a choice, although they don't actually), it's after the campaign was able to gain traction, and it's before October. To be clear, I think this all sucks -- as a North Carolinian I remember Cal Cunningham's campaign going up in flames because of an affair -- but from the campaign's perspective, the timing makes sense to me. They had to know this was going to come out at some point. This stuff always comes out. They didn't want it to come out until Mill's dropped out (their hope was realized in that she did drop out), and they wanted to get it out well before the election so they have a chance to spin it. So it seems totally possible to me that this leak was strategic.
Democratic leaders used to need a sign, "Caution, wet blanket ahead." At least they are drying out the blanket now. Soon they may throw off the blanket.
Barring something akin to Platner being a Ken Paxton like character, in the general election we need to "Vote Blue No Matter Who." Because against Susan Collins, Platner's better.
We also need to do so as a show of good faith to progressives. We routinely ask them to hold their nose and vote for Dems despite their frustrations with candidates or the party, we need to show them we are willing to do the same.
Platner. I listened to a YouTube show… Texas Paul. A right or die Democrat. This is what he had to say about Platner starting about 45 minutes in and going for a good half hour. If you don’t want the normal pearl clutching response to Platner, have a listen. It’s illuminating.
I think having this argument about the tattoo is not useful. I think it’s better to just say regardless of what you think of his personal choices and actions, control of the senate agenda matters more than that. We can always reckon with him as an individual later on.
Paul’s contrast with Talarico and the inconsistency of the attacks on both men is very useful though.
MG you've been very active on here today and the thing you have to realize is it doesn't matter how we talk about Platner. The Rs are about to spend $100m talking to the people of Maine about the tattoo, his ugly reddit posts, his infidelity, his judgment, etc. Maybe it won't matter. But those of us who've been doing this a long time know how hard it is overcome this stuff which is why party committees often back candidates who have 1) already won, showing they know to how to win 2) been vetted. Winning elections is very hard. Winning if you've never run before and not been through a full vet before is even harder.
hegseth wasn't elected and didn' thave to face indies and others in a general election. most of the left thinks this is no big deal, but i'm listening to simon here. i think this shit matters, and i know people in maine and spent summers there since 2002. no way this won't cause problems later, and i'll bet the rest of the hair on my head we will hear more. rick wilson made the point that collins is a trump toady who voted with him 97 percent of the time, and platner will be better than her. but will folks in maine see it that way? they haven't sent a true dem to the senate in ages.....
I'm struck by the similarities - both are 3/4 view, the cranial markings emphasized and cross bones, how shaped and where situated on the side of the skull. I'd seen 'skinhead' versions of the death head, very different, kind of classic halloween thing irrc
There's no question that Platner is a troubled person, and I found the revelations to be creepy. On the other hand, if we are going to talk about character, isn't Susan Collins as ethically challenged? This is a person who consistently says she is concerned about this or that but does nothing. She has zero courage, and her votes for Trump's policies frequently reveal moral bankruptcy. I don't live in Maine, but in a contest between her and Platner, I'd say the choice is clear.
Trump and MAGA Republicans have set the bar so low… my first thought (sadly) was “well thank goodness he was sexting a grown woman and not a child.” I mean look at how amazing Kamala was, and people still voted for the Felon. IF… there are no more scandals for Platner I think people are just craving Dems with his type of fight in them.
I just hope the party can adapt and figure how to rally around a candidate who’s not a Saint from a PR perspective.
In 2004, I ran and lost for a Montana Public Service Commissioner slot. A nice lady in Southeastern Montana said with a grin she was voting for me because: "You are the lesser of two weasels." Clever. My opponent made charges against me three weeks before the election. The Commissioner of Political Practices took two years to investigate and clear me of charges--way too late. About all you can do in that situation is live your life so nobody will believe your detractor, but not everybody will know how you live in time to decide on their vote.
Simon, I’m going to shift gears here for a minute because I feel yesterday’s events in NYC undercut a topic that isn’t tapped into enough. I’d like to hear your thought if and when you have the time.
The party continues to suppress this issue in my view and while I’m a cautious optimist at heart, I do have fears this could creep up to our disadvantage if our messaging as a party does not become more succinct on the topic and that is…Israel.
In all honesty, I feel it was a very POOR move for Mamdani to skip the NYC Annual Israel Day Parade. First Mayor to do so since 1964. In my view, he should have worked to bring together Jews and Muslims in the city to parade for the longstanding existence of Israel and their people….while in solidarity to stand against both Hamas and Netanyahu.
Meanwhile, he could also curate a parade for Palestinian/Muslim Pride and work to bring Jewish New Yorkers into that parade as well. By all out skipping, is a slap in the face to the Jewish population in NYC.
Not all Pro Israel supporters love Bibi. It’s not about him! In fact, we know THERE in Israel, the vast hate him anyway! Therefore, the parade is about the existence of a nation that has long been representative of a safe haven for Jews all around the world post the Holocaust. In case anyone forgot, Oct 7 was the largest attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust.
Mamdani was never an ‘exceptional’ candidate in my view nor is he a ‘national figure.’ Meaning, he’s not the type of candidate who wins nationally. We know this because those considered leading candidates for 2028 are Newsom, Harris, Kelly, Pete B, and Ossoff. The closest to Mamdani on a national scale in my view would be AOC but even she’s more succinct.
Yes, she’s harshly criticized the Israeli government but has also stressed her compartmentalized position on many occasions, signaling strong support for the Jewish community. Be that as it may…the bulk of our leading contenders (one of them likely to become the next President) are NOT Mamdani.
He won because he was up against three horrible candidates! Cuomo, Adams, and the Republican with the beret 😆. Plus, it didn’t hurt that his messaging was stronger.
I want him to do well. I don’t hate the guy. But one can understand why many Jewish people don’t necessarily feel ‘safe’ with him, especially when he deliberately skips this parade and yet, has attended numerous parades/events supporting other minority communities. To add insult to injury, it’s Jewish American Heritage Month! How would one like it if I was the Jewish Mayor of NYC and deliberately skipped the Gaza Day parade cuz I think too many there are of the jihadist mindset?!? Obv, I don’t think that way, but you see my point.
Now, you may ask if our leading contenders are not akin to Mamdani then what’s the concern? The concern is a growing portion of the base who don’t seem to be able to appropriately disassociate the Israeli people and their nation from their government and Bibi’ actions. Just as the GOP does commits the same malpractice with the Muslim community.
Without clarity, we risk coming across antisemitic, period! Hence why I have concerns about the MI senate race if El Sayed wins the primary. Not cuz he’s Muslim! I’m not a fool! Idc bout that! What I care about is his inability to message succinctly on the issue in such a way no one is alienated. Tagging along Hasan Piker obv doesn’t help. All the more reason why McMorrow would be a stronger candidate.
Do I think this is ‘taking over the party?’ Becoming the new norm, standard for Democratic loyalty? No and certainly I would hope not. This isn’t Vietnam! That said, the sooner we can cut that fringe approach at the head, the better. We can’t ’act’ like it’s Vietnam. Prob is, it’s festered into our national security due to the string of hate crimes that have occurred here against both the Jewish and Muslim communities.
Look how the GOP’ fringe has infested their party to such a corrosive degree. I know not all the Anti Israel sentiment equates to Antisemitism. As a Jewish American, I TOO am Anti Bibi! But I’m also vehemently Anti Hamas! They’re a terrorist organization and the fact we’ve seen ANY in the base show even ‘tame support’ for Hamas, is deeply concerning. Hasan Piker’ way of thinking in that “Hamas over Israel any day” due to some twisted ‘who has been killed more by numbers’ thought process, deliberately downplaying one tragedy over another when they’re equally horrific…CANNOT be the new norm for the Party! Should we let it grow that way, we WILL lose!
The Middle East didn’t play as large of role in 2024, I agree with that regardless what any pundit said. Harris didn’t lose because of Gaza, that’s ridiculous! But, the conversation around the conflict isn’t wavering! Hopefully, the kitchen table issues and reclaiming of democracy will both continue to outweigh and galvanizing voters far more than any international affair.
The messaging on Israel in the Democratic Party should ALWAYS stay on Bibi and the government, NOT Israel as a whole. If the Democratic Party continues to make that mistake…I feel we risk losing in the future. Our strongest voting bloc in the nation are Independents! They’re the fastest growing voting bloc. The majority of Independents are against the Israeli government but STILL support the Israeli people and their nation! Two things can be true at once, and should be.
If met by a strong Democratic challenger ahead of his next election, Mamdani may very well lose and one can’t win NYC without enough of the Jewish vote, period! I just feel there is not enough coherent disassociation being effectively messaged to the public.
“We stand with Palestinians and their right to a homeland. We don’t stand with the terrorist group Hamas or jihadist ideology. We stand with Israel’ right to exist and their people. We don’t stand with Bibi and his extremist government.
How hard can this messaging be?!?
We can place blame on Bibi, Hamas, Trump, and Putin for all contributing to the rise in both Antisemitism and Islamophobia. However, I blame us, the people, most, for taking the bait and falling into the division…one between two groups mind you who share more in common than not.
I pray for both territories to acquire stronger leadership in our not too distant future, for there to be a pathway towards some semblance of a two state solution, and for America, Israel, and Gaza to all stand on the global stage with respect again in our not too distant future. That should be the majority view. Hopefully, it is!
The GOP has enough Antisemitism running through it. The Democratic Party cannot afford to fall into the same trap and become the ‘party of Antisemites’ cuz they can’t get their messaging straight on compartmentalizing support for Israel’ nation and people from lack of support for Bibi and Hamas.
Sorry for the rant but I continue to see this leak through and it’s concerning to me. Again, I remain more hopeful than I’ve vented today but this is a lingering matter in the background that will have to be nipped in the bud sooner than later or else I fear we risk getting swallowed by the convoluted messaging on the issue to an unattainable level. We can’t think too hard about ‘offending anyone.’ Most Jewish and Muslim voters are in sync with this very sentiment below…
Israel the nation, its people…GOOD. Gaza the territory and its people…GOOD. Bibi and his extremist government…BAD. Hamas and Jihadism…BAD.
Simple! Succinct! Non controversial! How is it our society makes even the most coherent arguments non cohesive 🙏
This is a great commentary today. Welcome to June everybody. Very curious how CA governor race goes. Steyer has gained ground and the possibility of two Dems in the finals is very real now. That's a debate I would really want to see, "mano a mano."
I particularly appreciated the long article on Ken Martin. I support Ken and the DNC's on "compete everywhere and win anywhere." I am making contributions today to the audacious parties and to the new expanded field of house candidates. GO Team! Let's Kick A**!!!!
I wish the DNC and Simon could push even harder against the consultant class and it's antiquated strategy. Can those guys be fired? Seems like a move that should be considered.
I also appreciate the to-do list on calling the MoCs today. I will be making those calls shortly.
Before I get up to call Fetterman-McCormick (they really are one and the same person), I’d like to recommend reading all of today’s column if you’ve got the time. It articulates what is happening to us now, and what will hopefully happen going forward. For all Martin’s mistakes and any resulting misgivings (I for one have been too hard on him), his Hopium-like mantra (‘invest everywhere, win anywhere’) has inspired state chairpeople across the country to dig deep. The chairpeople interviewed on Hopium are incredibly inspiring to listen to (the Alaska chair is an especially unusual person). Personally, I have not donated enough money to them, but I hope to change my contributions from individual candidates to the state parties going forward. As I said, highly recommend.
I agree about meeting the State Chairs, Hical. It has been a rallying call for me to see their hard work and imagine the job's huge responsibility. I support Ken Martin's all-over strategy and support him. I've learned so much from Simon over the years that I trust his judgement, too.
What Martin is doing feels directionally right to me. In my view, what is happening is progressives (and especially people who support DSA candidates) are angry over the party putting its thumb on the scale, and it goes back to Bernie. It's a big problem. I agree with the notion that we need to as much as possible get away from dependency on corporate lobbyists, but we also have to win. I've had this discussion with a few people, and everyone assumes you can just turn off the corporate donors and we still win.
The "autopsy" was mismanaged. But we are winning everywhere. It isn't proof what Martin is doing is working, but it strikes me as odd that we are doing so well in elections and still act as though everything is a failure. In some cases, it seems to go back to disappointment that we don't run someone like Mamdami or AOC everywhere, including in a rural district in AL or MS. It's lunacy to think you can win with identical far left candidates everywhere to the point where you can control the House. If things shift left, fine, but it isn't going to happen because you insist on ideological purity everywhere.
At least that's how I understand it now, but I find a lot of it confusing and I'm trying to figure out how to think about these things.
"What Martin is doing feels directionally right to me. In my view, what is happening is progressives (and especially people who support DSA candidates) are angry over the party putting its thumb on the scale, and it goes back to Bernie. It's a big problem. I agree with the notion that we need to as much as possible get away from dependency on corporate lobbyists, but we also have to win. I've had this discussion with a few people, and everyone assumes you can just turn off the corporate donors and we still win."
This is the crux of it, and I agree with you on all of it except... I have concerns that "progressives" are being stereotyped as monolithic including 1) Fire Ken Martin ~I disagree) 2) aligned with the DSA and therefore "far-lefty" ~I am not... well mostly not, lol)
I'm not accusing you Patrick, but the implications are there, and like everyone else, I don't like being put in a box that doesn't align with my beliefs and attitudes.
Corporate lobbying and dark money (to the extent it exists in the Democratic Party, hard to know because "dark") is a real problem. I think of the many victories where Dems were substantially outspent and still won on the merits, and I believe we will see much more of it in this cycle. But I agree, you can't flip a switch. Neither, can you ignore the issue.
I went to the local Monterey County Democratic Committee fundraising luncheon honoring Betty Yee on Sunday out at a Salinas Valley winery. (What a fantastic public servant in state government she has been for nearly 40 years!!) Besides the list of human $1500 top donors, there was another name. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). If you live in central California, you know what a big red flag that is. (F*n PG&E!!! You know what I'm talking about.)
There needs to be a 5 year plan to get rid of corporate lobbyists.
Not a Mainer, but this entire Platner thing has been a sign that while you can say all the right things, you have to be aware of the rest of your life when you're running for office. I still think he will beat Collins, but the dude needs to be honest.
More concerned about Sherrill's recent apparent missteps in NJ. Gov. Sherrill should be out there today saying that she has heard the voices and that the NJ State Police are going to be directly ordered to protect (not assault) protesters, and anyone on the NJSP who doesn't like that is going to find themselves demoted or put on desk jobs. ICE doesn't need protecting, but the people of NJ do.
💯 I am pretty dispirited about using any of my precious time or money to support centrist Dems if they aren't going to hang together with people trying to stop a concentration camp, but rather actively let them hang individually.
Simon, How can someone donate to individual candidates electronically without going through your link, which is Act Blue. People are happy to go through Hopium but ActBlue is a deal breaker because it then inundates the giver and overwhelms their email and text with donation requests. HELP!
But that isn't true, Joan. ActBlue does not share its lists. The campaigns sell their lists, and when you donate you become part of their email lists. I am working to create an opt-out of signing up for a campaign email when giving but the attacks on ActBlue as a platform are misinformed.
I will also work to provide physical addresses for all the campaigns.
Chris please stop this. We don't encourage this process because we will not get credit for the contributions as a community. It's perhaps narrow minded but I do not want to undermine the integrity of either ActBlue or our ActBlue process for it moves billions and billions of dollars efficiently and powerfully for us, and I do not want to contribute to a campaign to undermine the integrity of its vital work.
I will take the feedback here and get back to folks but TO BE CLEAR - ActBlue does not share lists and encourage emails and texts to you. The campaigns do that.
Hi Simon - I WANT to be included in Hopium's totals because I am proud to be a part of the group. Yes, I get emails from the campaigns I've donated to, and I simply unsubscribe from them. It's not onerous in the least. Thanks for helping us spend our limited political philanthropy wisely!
Thank you for letting me know. I don’t think finding physical addresses is part of your job description, but you might let the campaigns know that providing physical addresses on their Web sites and allowing a button displayed prominently for donors to opt out of having their email address or any other information shared might elicit more contributions.
Joan, one approach would be to set up a separate email just for donating to campaigns and other social causes. I have done this in the past. That email will in fact get overrun with additional requests but at least that leaves your day to day email address less cluttered.
This is the way. A spam-trap account is the way to go.
Well, my phone has blown up with tons of requests from all over the country, and I just accept that I spend about 10-15 minutes each day texting STOP or Stop2End or EndtoEnd or whatever they want. 'Tis the season, and it's a small price to pay for being "a plucky patriot."
Except for local races, all my political donating goes through Hopium. So thanks again Simon, for this wonderful service as it really allows me to ignore all these requests and just scroll down to the bottom of text to End.
Yeah, I just ignore the texts and the emails (most of which go to SPAM anyway) and accept it as part of the situation.
That's how I feel too. My phone now filters texts from "unknown" texters, and I'm able to mass delete those, and hey, it's just part of taking a more active role in politics these days. Not as bad as surviving a winter in Valley Forge without shoes. I'm glad for the advice on donating strategically and making meaningful investments, as with state parties.
love the Valley Forge analogy.
agree completely. am I such a snowflake I can't unsubscribe to some things? plus, often unsubscribe with regret b/c so many great candidates running all over the country
Being very diligent about not providing your phone number helps quite a bit with this
Hi Joan - I just unsubscribe from the emails when I get them.
When I have unsubscribed, they ignore it. That ruins what I am trying to do is conserve my time. As a result, I delete and report as spam which hurts the sender using multiple phone numbers to contact me. I don't like hurting campaigns as spam, but it seems like the only alternative and also an ineffective one at that.
I'm really disappointed about the Platner thing, but again, vetting is a thing for a reason, and so is campaign strategy team. They need to get a handle on this. And I've really kinda soured on the Pod Save crew (aside from Ben Rhodes). They have been really harsh on Ken Martin and don't like the 50 state strategy -- yeah, bc they were on the crew that dismantled it. Clearly they are taking it personally. Well if the shoe fits...
Things in Delaney not great. The governor badly misjudged by inserting state police, who have bad history w brutality v POC. They are trying to create "free speech zones" and keep pro-ICE protestors separated from anti-ICE. Sounds good on paper, but the cops are clearly not on the side of free speech and have been very aggressive v. peaceful protestors. The mayor has put in a curfew, but there needs to be someone on the ground who can funnel reliable info to Sherrill & AG Davenport so they can get a handle on this pronto before someone gets badly injured. The "Garden State Deplorables" trundled up there over the weekend and have been taunting protestors and acting just like you would think they would, which is why governor did what she did. Clearly it's not working and she needs to go to Plan B. In the meantime, very proud of Sen. Kim, who has been all over the place continuing to pull us back to the big picture--closure of the facility and the human rights issues of the detainees. Rep. Frank Pallone from NJ-06 has been there multiple times; Sen. Booker needs to go back.
Busy week of advocacy: meeting w local League of Women voters to strategize on voter registration here on campus and in community, and a Moms Demand event supporting gun violence survivors. Plugging away at the postcards.
Thanks for this update on Delaney, Lisa. I'm going to make ICE the focus of my calls to Tillis and Budd today (NC traitors, as you call your rep).
I agree with you on the Pod Save guys. Their voices just drip with condescension when they speak -- for the voters, for the DNC, and for Democrats they deem unworthy. I have long thought that the GOP condescended on moral grounds and the Democrats on intellectual grounds and find both offensive. I appreciate Simon's tone so much because his condemnation is reserved for the MAGA politicians (where it belongs) and never for the voters or other Democrats.
I also am tired of the Pod Save guys. You describe them well!
once again, dems trying to clean up republican screwups...and it is difficult work that often leaves everyone unhappy. except the r's of course, who will now say the governor can't handle it....
Calls made on 4 points.
Thank you for your reporting on this.
I interpreted it as Sherrill taking control of the LE presence - appreciate your updates on what is happening. I saw that Dan Goldman reported on the private prison side of it - that despite being subjected to the worst conditions, 'inmates' work for $1.00 perday, further enriching prison owners [my phrasing]. so much is wrong with this.
Thank you for the detailed update on Delaney. My social media feed this morning was devastating to Sherrill (eg Jess Craven) and a friend told me there was a recall vote being discussed on MSNOW last night. Sherrill needs to get ahead of this event…NOW.
While I have strong criticisms of how Ken Martin handled the autopsy report I totally agree that the 50-state strategy- first started by Howard Dean as I recall - was deconstructed I believe by the Obama team (OFA?). Dean was right then, and Martin is right now.
Thanks, Simon!
That Ossoff speech is amazing! He does a great job of tying together affordability, corruption, and attacks on our democracy -- and showing how they are interconnected. I've always been a sucker for a good speech and he's been giving a lot of them lately.
I called Congressman Raskin and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen to say that the president is out of touch with reality (see, e.g., this weekend's insane social media posts) and must be removed from office. I'm writing postcards to Ohio voters.
Ossof’s speech gave me shivers. Passionate delivery, great content,and crowd energy. My poli-crush on him continues. I can say the same for Senator Rev. Warnock.
Agree! Two GREAT Senators and outstanding representatives for our Party and what we stand for. People ask, "what are Democrats for? It's not enough just to be against Trump." Very true. And listening to these smart, passionate, compassionate Senators will tell you a lot about what Ds stand for.
Ossoff is sort of the orator version of Timothy Snyder: he is superb at linking these critical issues together, clearly and movingly. Sarah Longwell said in an interview that he is one of the people she can see leading the pro-democracy movement toward victory.
Daily calls are in to D and R members regarding the 4 points you highlighted in today’s post. Thanks for all your research and insight. It’s greatly appreciated.
When Ken Paxton—an admitted serial adulterer and easily the second most corrupt politician in the U.S.—won the GOP primary in TX, every single GOP messaging apparatus rushed to his support and started attacking his opponent. Fox news. Nearly all GOP Senators. The NRSC. The RNC. Etc. The show of support was truly remarkable and impressive.
Same on Trump. Same on dozens of seriously flawed GOP elected officials. Yes, elected.
That’a how you win in the current political environment. The GOP knows this. They project strength and confidence in their candidates no matter the flaws. It energizes the base and captures a huge swath of independent voters who consider weakness and equivocation the worst of all political flaws.
And at this point, I think the vast majority of Dem voters simply want to win. They want to win at pretty much any cost. The cause is just. We are saving our democracy. We need the same cult-like devotion in electing folks who will save our democracy, and we are smart enough to do it without the scary intellectual detachment you see with the GOP base.
Platner is going to be our nominee. The primary hasn’t even been close. No other candidate touched his charisma and ability to connect with voters.
So, I’m doubling down. I want to win.
I don't have time to respond to this right now but I think there are many, many problems with this line of argument particularly this:
"We need the same cult-like devotion in electing folks who will save our democracy." No we don't need to act like we are in a mindless cult FFS. That's the very opposite of what a democracy is.
Respectfully I disagree. I don’t think we’re a cult if we don’t find the Platner transgression in this political environment and at this point in the process disqualifying. I would much prefer Democrats framing this issue as a personal matter between Graham and Amy, and to be pounding the fact that Susan Collins’ actions in confirming Brett Kavanaugh - a person who faced allegations of sexual misconduct that were not seriously investigated - are actually far my dangerous to women than Graham’s kink.
Some quick notes here as promised, and goal here is to keep it repsectful and the discourse truthful as we move forward in a tough moment for Democrats. 1) I stand by my comments in WaPo above, and note that I went to the Maine Dem Convention a few weeks ago at their request to give a talk about the need to come together around all our candidates after the primary; and we are among the largest funders of the ME Dem Party in the country. 2) Would strongly advise Platner supporters to NOT lean into he's the Dem Paxton analogy. Would never mention Paxton, Trump etc. That analogy is hurtful to Platner. 3) What you write here abt Rs all lining behind Paxton simply isn't true. Rs in Texas impeached Paxton; the NRSC, the party, ran tens of millions of ads against him; in making their 2026 ad buy announcements GOP left Texas off the list, and have not yet announced that they are going to spend to defend him; I included articles here last week AFTER the primary of Republicans talking shit against Paxton. As of today the NRSC is NOT ON BOARD. 4) Paxton is a proven winner in TX statewide elections with strong backing of Trump. He's a Republican through and through. Platner has never run, never been vetted, and is attacking the mainstream party. These are very different situations. Bothsider them at your peril. 5) What happened this weekend made the cost of Platner winning far more expensive. This is the consideration that all party committees make, every day - can he win? How much will it cost? Is it worth the investment? That's the discussion that Rs are having now about Paxton, and what I raised in the WaPo piece - this thing just got harder, more expensive, and that's without any more coming out. More money for Maine means less money for AK, OH, etc. Hence the legit concern. 6) This is not a left-right thing. Platner has done deeply offensive things over and over. He wore a genocidal symbol on his chest for years. I have deep sympathy for people here saying there are a lot of other great candidates and I am just going to take a pass on him. Platner supporters would be wise to recognize the depth of concern about this behavior in the family and work to earn people's support. Telling them to line up like a cult and get on board is not effective sales pitch in a pro-democracy movement. We have respectful debates, discussions, and people can make up their own minds about things. Democrats are nothing like Republicans nor should we ever aspire to be like, or emulate, a fascistic, authoritarian movement.
Treat folks here with respect by being truthful and recognizing the concern out there about his both his behavior and viability is how things like this should happen at Hopium. Need to keep the temperature down and the arguments respectful and truthful. For as you say this is not a moment for bullshit. The stakes are too high. Onward - Simon
Thank you, Simon.
Good points, all. However, it is absolutely maddening to be presented with a formidable-sounding candidate, inundated with rosy ads and plugs, etc., only - (after getting one's hopes up) - to be ambushed by not-so-rosy-after-all information, that probably wasn't much of a secret to begin with. Our candidate-selection process needs some work because we need the best people we can find. Not saints - there aren't many of those around - but really sharp and trustworthy contenders. The only qualifications for office seem to be age and nationality. We could use a few more.
I'm with you and "Vote Blue No Matter Who." The revelations about Platner are discouraging but barring a miracle, he will be the Dem nominee. And in a match against Collins, he will be better. Even if he pulls a Fetterman, I'd rather have a Dem who votes with the party 90%+ than Collins who votes 90%+ with MAGA.
Lastly, we need to support Platner as a show of good faith support to progressives. We ask them to bite the bullet and accept what leaders like Schumer and Jefferies have the party do, we ought to support their candidate to show "Vote Blue" is a two way street.
I disagree with this partly. We don’t need to support Platner for any of those reasons. The only thing we need to support is him helping provide control of the senate.
Beyond that, Platner isn’t deserving of support beyond what he earns through his words and actions. Nobody needs to throw a bone to progressives. We need to win and do the right thing for the people and for our democracy. That will increase trust in government and in the party, and then people will trust leadership to endorse and vet future candidates.
The current problem is that people clearly want some version of the populism Platner is selling, just not necessarily Platner himself. The party left that lane open for him by putting Mills up against him and he walked right into the nomination. The party needs to fix that or this kind of thing will keep happening.
I get wanting to win and not being mired in morality especially when the other side gets to do stupid and illegal shit yet lose no support. But if we want to have a chance in a general election, we have to have some expertise and the ones running Platner’s campaign are a disaster. From Joohn Choe:
“Platner's campaign strategist thought that Genevieve McDonald maliciously leaked the new scandal to the Wall Street Journal and tried, frankly rather stupidly, to coerce her into retracting.
McDonald is explaining here that "no, I wasn't the leaker, but then this idiotic manchild tried to coerce me, so I went to The New York Times."
And that's why we're all talking about Platner today.
It is the outcome of an apparently (pardon me) rather shitshow Senate campaign being strategized by a child.
The video put out by Platner's wife, Amy Gertner, notably does not mention Genevieve McDonald by name or by implicature; she blames "outlets" for gossip. And the sourcing for The New York Times story to McDonald came after the Wall Street Journal already contacted her - though, notably, not as the sole source on the Platner story.
And the reason why there are people attacking McDonald as the source for the allegations against Platner right now - really, the reason for the NYT story in general - seems to come from one strategist associated with the Platner campaign, Morris Katz, who has lied about his age and also worked on (again, this makes sense) Fetterman's campaign.
I'm gonna say this was kind of a f**k-up on that guy's part.
Like, let's just pretend for a second that Katz was completely right and McDonald WAS actually the primary source on those allegations about Platner's Kik profile.
How in the world was that kind of confrontation supposed to get her to do what he wanted?
If he WAS actually talking to someone out to damage the campaign, how in the hell was he not digging his grave even deeper with his jaw by threatening her with, essentially, defamation?
Maine is a ONE-PARTY CONSENT STATE - you can legally record a conversation or phone call as long as at least one person involved in the conversation gives consent. Katz could have reasonably expected that McDonald would record him; if McDonald didn't record that threat actually I'd be mildly surprised.
Do these people not have, like, lawyers to do this kind of thing for them?
Just poor judgment. Really, really ill-thought-out.“
fascinating, thank you
Assuming that nothing else comes out about Platner, the timing is okay. It's slightly before the primary (so the voters *in theory* have a choice, although they don't actually), it's after the campaign was able to gain traction, and it's before October. To be clear, I think this all sucks -- as a North Carolinian I remember Cal Cunningham's campaign going up in flames because of an affair -- but from the campaign's perspective, the timing makes sense to me. They had to know this was going to come out at some point. This stuff always comes out. They didn't want it to come out until Mill's dropped out (their hope was realized in that she did drop out), and they wanted to get it out well before the election so they have a chance to spin it. So it seems totally possible to me that this leak was strategic.
Democratic leaders used to need a sign, "Caution, wet blanket ahead." At least they are drying out the blanket now. Soon they may throw off the blanket.
Barring something akin to Platner being a Ken Paxton like character, in the general election we need to "Vote Blue No Matter Who." Because against Susan Collins, Platner's better.
We also need to do so as a show of good faith to progressives. We routinely ask them to hold their nose and vote for Dems despite their frustrations with candidates or the party, we need to show them we are willing to do the same.
For a long time, I thought that Newsom would be probably be my pick for 2028.
But I must admit that I am moving more and more towards Ossoff these days.
Terrific speech by Jon Ossoff. He prosecutes Trumps corruption beautifully and is also uplifting to his GA peeps!
Thanks for the deep dive about Ken Martin. So sad about the conflict. This is NOT the time for petty BS.
Call my reps now
Platner. I listened to a YouTube show… Texas Paul. A right or die Democrat. This is what he had to say about Platner starting about 45 minutes in and going for a good half hour. If you don’t want the normal pearl clutching response to Platner, have a listen. It’s illuminating.
https://www.youtube.com/live/Ka2RuR3cBuU?si=EtPOanKpy0p7Hehi
I think having this argument about the tattoo is not useful. I think it’s better to just say regardless of what you think of his personal choices and actions, control of the senate agenda matters more than that. We can always reckon with him as an individual later on.
Paul’s contrast with Talarico and the inconsistency of the attacks on both men is very useful though.
MG you've been very active on here today and the thing you have to realize is it doesn't matter how we talk about Platner. The Rs are about to spend $100m talking to the people of Maine about the tattoo, his ugly reddit posts, his infidelity, his judgment, etc. Maybe it won't matter. But those of us who've been doing this a long time know how hard it is overcome this stuff which is why party committees often back candidates who have 1) already won, showing they know to how to win 2) been vetted. Winning elections is very hard. Winning if you've never run before and not been through a full vet before is even harder.
OTOH, we can always counter with "What about Hegseth?"
hegseth wasn't elected and didn' thave to face indies and others in a general election. most of the left thinks this is no big deal, but i'm listening to simon here. i think this shit matters, and i know people in maine and spent summers there since 2002. no way this won't cause problems later, and i'll bet the rest of the hair on my head we will hear more. rick wilson made the point that collins is a trump toady who voted with him 97 percent of the time, and platner will be better than her. but will folks in maine see it that way? they haven't sent a true dem to the senate in ages.....
well, he doesn't really show the tattoo - so I link 2 images here, one from a actuall SS belt buckle, the other seems to be GP's
https://image.invaluable.com/housePhotos/danielleelizabeth/70/749470/H20262-L334550874_original.JPG
https://mk-a1.freetls.fastly.net/uploads/2025/10/102225_GrahamPlatner-1200x630.jpeg
I'm struck by the similarities - both are 3/4 view, the cranial markings emphasized and cross bones, how shaped and where situated on the side of the skull. I'd seen 'skinhead' versions of the death head, very different, kind of classic halloween thing irrc
There's no question that Platner is a troubled person, and I found the revelations to be creepy. On the other hand, if we are going to talk about character, isn't Susan Collins as ethically challenged? This is a person who consistently says she is concerned about this or that but does nothing. She has zero courage, and her votes for Trump's policies frequently reveal moral bankruptcy. I don't live in Maine, but in a contest between her and Platner, I'd say the choice is clear.
Two compromised candidates. One Senate seat. I'll take the blue, please.
the primary has not happened yet,he isn't our candidate
Trump and MAGA Republicans have set the bar so low… my first thought (sadly) was “well thank goodness he was sexting a grown woman and not a child.” I mean look at how amazing Kamala was, and people still voted for the Felon. IF… there are no more scandals for Platner I think people are just craving Dems with his type of fight in them.
I just hope the party can adapt and figure how to rally around a candidate who’s not a Saint from a PR perspective.
the primary is June 9,
In 2004, I ran and lost for a Montana Public Service Commissioner slot. A nice lady in Southeastern Montana said with a grin she was voting for me because: "You are the lesser of two weasels." Clever. My opponent made charges against me three weeks before the election. The Commissioner of Political Practices took two years to investigate and clear me of charges--way too late. About all you can do in that situation is live your life so nobody will believe your detractor, but not everybody will know how you live in time to decide on their vote.
Simon, I’m going to shift gears here for a minute because I feel yesterday’s events in NYC undercut a topic that isn’t tapped into enough. I’d like to hear your thought if and when you have the time.
The party continues to suppress this issue in my view and while I’m a cautious optimist at heart, I do have fears this could creep up to our disadvantage if our messaging as a party does not become more succinct on the topic and that is…Israel.
In all honesty, I feel it was a very POOR move for Mamdani to skip the NYC Annual Israel Day Parade. First Mayor to do so since 1964. In my view, he should have worked to bring together Jews and Muslims in the city to parade for the longstanding existence of Israel and their people….while in solidarity to stand against both Hamas and Netanyahu.
Meanwhile, he could also curate a parade for Palestinian/Muslim Pride and work to bring Jewish New Yorkers into that parade as well. By all out skipping, is a slap in the face to the Jewish population in NYC.
Not all Pro Israel supporters love Bibi. It’s not about him! In fact, we know THERE in Israel, the vast hate him anyway! Therefore, the parade is about the existence of a nation that has long been representative of a safe haven for Jews all around the world post the Holocaust. In case anyone forgot, Oct 7 was the largest attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust.
Mamdani was never an ‘exceptional’ candidate in my view nor is he a ‘national figure.’ Meaning, he’s not the type of candidate who wins nationally. We know this because those considered leading candidates for 2028 are Newsom, Harris, Kelly, Pete B, and Ossoff. The closest to Mamdani on a national scale in my view would be AOC but even she’s more succinct.
Yes, she’s harshly criticized the Israeli government but has also stressed her compartmentalized position on many occasions, signaling strong support for the Jewish community. Be that as it may…the bulk of our leading contenders (one of them likely to become the next President) are NOT Mamdani.
He won because he was up against three horrible candidates! Cuomo, Adams, and the Republican with the beret 😆. Plus, it didn’t hurt that his messaging was stronger.
I want him to do well. I don’t hate the guy. But one can understand why many Jewish people don’t necessarily feel ‘safe’ with him, especially when he deliberately skips this parade and yet, has attended numerous parades/events supporting other minority communities. To add insult to injury, it’s Jewish American Heritage Month! How would one like it if I was the Jewish Mayor of NYC and deliberately skipped the Gaza Day parade cuz I think too many there are of the jihadist mindset?!? Obv, I don’t think that way, but you see my point.
Now, you may ask if our leading contenders are not akin to Mamdani then what’s the concern? The concern is a growing portion of the base who don’t seem to be able to appropriately disassociate the Israeli people and their nation from their government and Bibi’ actions. Just as the GOP does commits the same malpractice with the Muslim community.
Without clarity, we risk coming across antisemitic, period! Hence why I have concerns about the MI senate race if El Sayed wins the primary. Not cuz he’s Muslim! I’m not a fool! Idc bout that! What I care about is his inability to message succinctly on the issue in such a way no one is alienated. Tagging along Hasan Piker obv doesn’t help. All the more reason why McMorrow would be a stronger candidate.
Do I think this is ‘taking over the party?’ Becoming the new norm, standard for Democratic loyalty? No and certainly I would hope not. This isn’t Vietnam! That said, the sooner we can cut that fringe approach at the head, the better. We can’t ’act’ like it’s Vietnam. Prob is, it’s festered into our national security due to the string of hate crimes that have occurred here against both the Jewish and Muslim communities.
Look how the GOP’ fringe has infested their party to such a corrosive degree. I know not all the Anti Israel sentiment equates to Antisemitism. As a Jewish American, I TOO am Anti Bibi! But I’m also vehemently Anti Hamas! They’re a terrorist organization and the fact we’ve seen ANY in the base show even ‘tame support’ for Hamas, is deeply concerning. Hasan Piker’ way of thinking in that “Hamas over Israel any day” due to some twisted ‘who has been killed more by numbers’ thought process, deliberately downplaying one tragedy over another when they’re equally horrific…CANNOT be the new norm for the Party! Should we let it grow that way, we WILL lose!
The Middle East didn’t play as large of role in 2024, I agree with that regardless what any pundit said. Harris didn’t lose because of Gaza, that’s ridiculous! But, the conversation around the conflict isn’t wavering! Hopefully, the kitchen table issues and reclaiming of democracy will both continue to outweigh and galvanizing voters far more than any international affair.
The messaging on Israel in the Democratic Party should ALWAYS stay on Bibi and the government, NOT Israel as a whole. If the Democratic Party continues to make that mistake…I feel we risk losing in the future. Our strongest voting bloc in the nation are Independents! They’re the fastest growing voting bloc. The majority of Independents are against the Israeli government but STILL support the Israeli people and their nation! Two things can be true at once, and should be.
If met by a strong Democratic challenger ahead of his next election, Mamdani may very well lose and one can’t win NYC without enough of the Jewish vote, period! I just feel there is not enough coherent disassociation being effectively messaged to the public.
“We stand with Palestinians and their right to a homeland. We don’t stand with the terrorist group Hamas or jihadist ideology. We stand with Israel’ right to exist and their people. We don’t stand with Bibi and his extremist government.
How hard can this messaging be?!?
We can place blame on Bibi, Hamas, Trump, and Putin for all contributing to the rise in both Antisemitism and Islamophobia. However, I blame us, the people, most, for taking the bait and falling into the division…one between two groups mind you who share more in common than not.
I pray for both territories to acquire stronger leadership in our not too distant future, for there to be a pathway towards some semblance of a two state solution, and for America, Israel, and Gaza to all stand on the global stage with respect again in our not too distant future. That should be the majority view. Hopefully, it is!
The GOP has enough Antisemitism running through it. The Democratic Party cannot afford to fall into the same trap and become the ‘party of Antisemites’ cuz they can’t get their messaging straight on compartmentalizing support for Israel’ nation and people from lack of support for Bibi and Hamas.
Sorry for the rant but I continue to see this leak through and it’s concerning to me. Again, I remain more hopeful than I’ve vented today but this is a lingering matter in the background that will have to be nipped in the bud sooner than later or else I fear we risk getting swallowed by the convoluted messaging on the issue to an unattainable level. We can’t think too hard about ‘offending anyone.’ Most Jewish and Muslim voters are in sync with this very sentiment below…
Israel the nation, its people…GOOD. Gaza the territory and its people…GOOD. Bibi and his extremist government…BAD. Hamas and Jihadism…BAD.
Simple! Succinct! Non controversial! How is it our society makes even the most coherent arguments non cohesive 🙏
"Israel the nation, its people…GOOD. Gaza the territory and its people…GOOD. Bibi and his extremist government…BAD. Hamas and Jihadism…BAD.
Simple! Succinct! Non controversial! How is it our society makes even the most coherent arguments non cohesive 🙏"
100% Blake, (plus the West Bank.)
Bibi and Trump are both war criminals. So is Hamas.
Thank you! 🙏
This is a great commentary today. Welcome to June everybody. Very curious how CA governor race goes. Steyer has gained ground and the possibility of two Dems in the finals is very real now. That's a debate I would really want to see, "mano a mano."
I particularly appreciated the long article on Ken Martin. I support Ken and the DNC's on "compete everywhere and win anywhere." I am making contributions today to the audacious parties and to the new expanded field of house candidates. GO Team! Let's Kick A**!!!!
I wish the DNC and Simon could push even harder against the consultant class and it's antiquated strategy. Can those guys be fired? Seems like a move that should be considered.
I also appreciate the to-do list on calling the MoCs today. I will be making those calls shortly.
Before I get up to call Fetterman-McCormick (they really are one and the same person), I’d like to recommend reading all of today’s column if you’ve got the time. It articulates what is happening to us now, and what will hopefully happen going forward. For all Martin’s mistakes and any resulting misgivings (I for one have been too hard on him), his Hopium-like mantra (‘invest everywhere, win anywhere’) has inspired state chairpeople across the country to dig deep. The chairpeople interviewed on Hopium are incredibly inspiring to listen to (the Alaska chair is an especially unusual person). Personally, I have not donated enough money to them, but I hope to change my contributions from individual candidates to the state parties going forward. As I said, highly recommend.
I agree about meeting the State Chairs, Hical. It has been a rallying call for me to see their hard work and imagine the job's huge responsibility. I support Ken Martin's all-over strategy and support him. I've learned so much from Simon over the years that I trust his judgement, too.
Agree with everything here, Kent. Thanks for your reply.
What Martin is doing feels directionally right to me. In my view, what is happening is progressives (and especially people who support DSA candidates) are angry over the party putting its thumb on the scale, and it goes back to Bernie. It's a big problem. I agree with the notion that we need to as much as possible get away from dependency on corporate lobbyists, but we also have to win. I've had this discussion with a few people, and everyone assumes you can just turn off the corporate donors and we still win.
The "autopsy" was mismanaged. But we are winning everywhere. It isn't proof what Martin is doing is working, but it strikes me as odd that we are doing so well in elections and still act as though everything is a failure. In some cases, it seems to go back to disappointment that we don't run someone like Mamdami or AOC everywhere, including in a rural district in AL or MS. It's lunacy to think you can win with identical far left candidates everywhere to the point where you can control the House. If things shift left, fine, but it isn't going to happen because you insist on ideological purity everywhere.
At least that's how I understand it now, but I find a lot of it confusing and I'm trying to figure out how to think about these things.
"What Martin is doing feels directionally right to me. In my view, what is happening is progressives (and especially people who support DSA candidates) are angry over the party putting its thumb on the scale, and it goes back to Bernie. It's a big problem. I agree with the notion that we need to as much as possible get away from dependency on corporate lobbyists, but we also have to win. I've had this discussion with a few people, and everyone assumes you can just turn off the corporate donors and we still win."
This is the crux of it, and I agree with you on all of it except... I have concerns that "progressives" are being stereotyped as monolithic including 1) Fire Ken Martin ~I disagree) 2) aligned with the DSA and therefore "far-lefty" ~I am not... well mostly not, lol)
I'm not accusing you Patrick, but the implications are there, and like everyone else, I don't like being put in a box that doesn't align with my beliefs and attitudes.
Corporate lobbying and dark money (to the extent it exists in the Democratic Party, hard to know because "dark") is a real problem. I think of the many victories where Dems were substantially outspent and still won on the merits, and I believe we will see much more of it in this cycle. But I agree, you can't flip a switch. Neither, can you ignore the issue.
I went to the local Monterey County Democratic Committee fundraising luncheon honoring Betty Yee on Sunday out at a Salinas Valley winery. (What a fantastic public servant in state government she has been for nearly 40 years!!) Besides the list of human $1500 top donors, there was another name. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). If you live in central California, you know what a big red flag that is. (F*n PG&E!!! You know what I'm talking about.)
There needs to be a 5 year plan to get rid of corporate lobbyists.