Sarah Longwell

Nice to know you. There is a way to, again, fight hard and fight smart. There's a way of – I always think about a political leader – should be in front of public opinion. We are not completely without agency in shifting and shaping public opinion. But we do have to be within proximity of public opinion. We have to be within arm's reach.

Nice to know you. There is a way to, again, fight hard and fight smart. There's a way of – I always think about a political leader – should be in front of public opinion. We are not completely without agency in shifting and shaping public opinion. But we do have to be within proximity of public opinion. We have to be within arm's reach.

Because if we get too far out ahead, we lose our grip on the public and we are no longer able to pull them along with us. And I think you've got some people who want to be so far out ahead because it plays well on social media because they feel viscerally good about themselves that they lose their grip and they can't pull them along.

Because if we get too far out ahead, we lose our grip on the public and we are no longer able to pull them along with us. And I think you've got some people who want to be so far out ahead because it plays well on social media because they feel viscerally good about themselves that they lose their grip and they can't pull them along.

And then you've got other people who are so scared to be even an inch in front of public opinion that they hide within public opinion and hope that no one notices.

And then you've got other people who are so scared to be even an inch in front of public opinion that they hide within public opinion and hope that no one notices.

I think that is probably – that's probably right, that we are a byproduct of witnessing firsthand – Look, Barack Obama is still popular, even in our politics. Barack Obama is still popular for a reason. His approach to politics is still popular.

I think that is probably – that's probably right, that we are a byproduct of witnessing firsthand – Look, Barack Obama is still popular, even in our politics. Barack Obama is still popular for a reason. His approach to politics is still popular.

And, you know, one of the things that frustrates me as I navigate some of these issues and try to provide a glimpse into my approach to changemaking, because I fundamentally agree with the goals of the progressive movement. And I think that you have to be strategic in how you pursue those goals.

And, you know, one of the things that frustrates me as I navigate some of these issues and try to provide a glimpse into my approach to changemaking, because I fundamentally agree with the goals of the progressive movement. And I think that you have to be strategic in how you pursue those goals.

And I think, you know, we've got a lot of folks who don't realize that Barack Obama opposed marriage equality for most of his political career. I mean, he kind of, like, he supported it, then he changed his position, and then he supported it again. Yeah.

And I think, you know, we've got a lot of folks who don't realize that Barack Obama opposed marriage equality for most of his political career. I mean, he kind of, like, he supported it, then he changed his position, and then he supported it again. Yeah.

Where would we have been as a party or for that matter, where would the gay rights movement have had been if they excommunicated John Kerry for not being in support of marriage equality? If they excluded both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in 2007 and 2008 for not being in favor of marriage equality? Where would we have been? And now, though, the mentality is if we were replicating that now.

Where would we have been as a party or for that matter, where would the gay rights movement have had been if they excommunicated John Kerry for not being in support of marriage equality? If they excluded both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in 2007 and 2008 for not being in favor of marriage equality? Where would we have been? And now, though, the mentality is if we were replicating that now.

they would be evil bigots who have no place in our coalition and even making coalition with them, let alone supporting them, would be cavorting with the enemy. And I remember the marriage movement. I remember that time in our politics very well. That is a formative moment in my life. And we recognize that politics requires people to do politics, right?

they would be evil bigots who have no place in our coalition and even making coalition with them, let alone supporting them, would be cavorting with the enemy. And I remember the marriage movement. I remember that time in our politics very well. That is a formative moment in my life. And we recognize that politics requires people to do politics, right?

that it requires people to be smart and thoughtful about how they reach people and that accessibility, being accessible to voters in how you talk and how you communicate is a fundamentally progressive value.

that it requires people to be smart and thoughtful about how they reach people and that accessibility, being accessible to voters in how you talk and how you communicate is a fundamentally progressive value.

I think there's a lesson there too, but I also think that by providing people with some space to have that conversation, by not one, making it so clearly partisan, Right. You're a Democrat if you support marriage equality. You're a Republican if you don't support marriage equality.

I think there's a lesson there too, but I also think that by providing people with some space to have that conversation, by not one, making it so clearly partisan, Right. You're a Democrat if you support marriage equality. You're a Republican if you don't support marriage equality.