Ezra Klein

And one of Trump's talents, one of the things that makes him a disruptive force in politics is his ability to upend the sort of coalitional structure, the interest group structure of They used to prevail. You know, the Koch brothers were the big enemy of the left, you know, 10, 15 years ago. The view was that in many ways they set the agenda of the right.

And one of Trump's talents, one of the things that makes him a disruptive force in politics is his ability to upend the sort of coalitional structure, the interest group structure of They used to prevail. You know, the Koch brothers were the big enemy of the left, you know, 10, 15 years ago. The view was that in many ways they set the agenda of the right.

And one of Trump's talents, one of the things that makes him a disruptive force in politics is his ability to upend the sort of coalitional structure, the interest group structure of They used to prevail. You know, the Koch brothers were the big enemy of the left, you know, 10, 15 years ago. The view was that in many ways they set the agenda of the right.

The Koch brother network is much less powerful under Donald Trump because he just disagrees with them and has disempowered them. Not to say none of their people or none of their groups are meaningful at all. They are. But you wouldn't put them at the forefront in the way that you might have at another time. Right. Right this second, we're using the left, but Democrats are in fundamental disarray.

The Koch brother network is much less powerful under Donald Trump because he just disagrees with them and has disempowered them. Not to say none of their people or none of their groups are meaningful at all. They are. But you wouldn't put them at the forefront in the way that you might have at another time. Right. Right this second, we're using the left, but Democrats are in fundamental disarray.

The Koch brother network is much less powerful under Donald Trump because he just disagrees with them and has disempowered them. Not to say none of their people or none of their groups are meaningful at all. They are. But you wouldn't put them at the forefront in the way that you might have at another time. Right. Right this second, we're using the left, but Democrats are in fundamental disarray.

There is no leader. Democrats, Senate Democrats decided to vote for the continuing resolution avoiding a shutdown or a critical mass of them did. Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the House Democrats, and Chuck Schumer, the leader of Senate Democrats, are in bitter disagreement over whether or not they should have done that.

There is no leader. Democrats, Senate Democrats decided to vote for the continuing resolution avoiding a shutdown or a critical mass of them did. Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the House Democrats, and Chuck Schumer, the leader of Senate Democrats, are in bitter disagreement over whether or not they should have done that.

There is no leader. Democrats, Senate Democrats decided to vote for the continuing resolution avoiding a shutdown or a critical mass of them did. Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the House Democrats, and Chuck Schumer, the leader of Senate Democrats, are in bitter disagreement over whether or not they should have done that.

Democratic leadership isn't even united on the single biggest point of leverage they might have had. They disagree over whether or not it was even a point of leverage. Outside of them, the party has no leader, which is fairly normal after a pretty crushing defeat. But there isn't the next in line. So, you know, you go back, right?

Democratic leadership isn't even united on the single biggest point of leverage they might have had. They disagree over whether or not it was even a point of leverage. Outside of them, the party has no leader, which is fairly normal after a pretty crushing defeat. But there isn't the next in line. So, you know, you go back, right?

Democratic leadership isn't even united on the single biggest point of leverage they might have had. They disagree over whether or not it was even a point of leverage. Outside of them, the party has no leader, which is fairly normal after a pretty crushing defeat. But there isn't the next in line. So, you know, you go back, right?

And it was pretty clear that, you know, after Barack Obama, it was going to be Hillary Clinton. After Hillary Clinton, it was either going to be Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders. Bernie Sanders had come in second in the primary. Joe Biden had been the vice president. You often have a presumptive next nominee who the party can look to for a kind of leadership.

And it was pretty clear that, you know, after Barack Obama, it was going to be Hillary Clinton. After Hillary Clinton, it was either going to be Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders. Bernie Sanders had come in second in the primary. Joe Biden had been the vice president. You often have a presumptive next nominee who the party can look to for a kind of leadership.

And it was pretty clear that, you know, after Barack Obama, it was going to be Hillary Clinton. After Hillary Clinton, it was either going to be Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders. Bernie Sanders had come in second in the primary. Joe Biden had been the vice president. You often have a presumptive next nominee who the party can look to for a kind of leadership.

Even after 2000, Al Gore was still giving big speeches. There was a question about Al Gore running again. There is no presumptive in the Democratic Party right now. You can't turn around and say, oh, it's going to be Pete Buttigieg. It's going to be Josh Shapiro. It's going to be Gretchen Whitmer. parties are given force, modern parties, which are quite weak by historical standards.

Even after 2000, Al Gore was still giving big speeches. There was a question about Al Gore running again. There is no presumptive in the Democratic Party right now. You can't turn around and say, oh, it's going to be Pete Buttigieg. It's going to be Josh Shapiro. It's going to be Gretchen Whitmer. parties are given force, modern parties, which are quite weak by historical standards.

Even after 2000, Al Gore was still giving big speeches. There was a question about Al Gore running again. There is no presumptive in the Democratic Party right now. You can't turn around and say, oh, it's going to be Pete Buttigieg. It's going to be Josh Shapiro. It's going to be Gretchen Whitmer. parties are given force, modern parties, which are quite weak by historical standards.

Modern parties tend to be given force by a centralizing personality. Donald Trump being a very strong example of that on the right, but Barack Obama was the person who held together the Democratic Party for a long time. In my lifetime, the Democratic Party has never been as internally fragmented and weak, leaderless, rudderless, as it is right now. Now, it won't stay that way.

Modern parties tend to be given force by a centralizing personality. Donald Trump being a very strong example of that on the right, but Barack Obama was the person who held together the Democratic Party for a long time. In my lifetime, the Democratic Party has never been as internally fragmented and weak, leaderless, rudderless, as it is right now. Now, it won't stay that way.