Shane Goldmacher

And so if you don't think the party is in as deep of a hole, you're not looking to make that kind of big systemic change. And I think that disagreement on just how screwed the party is is central to understand what they're going to do to get out of the hole, right? If you think that they're pretty close, then you're not going to make big changes.

And so if you don't think the party is in as deep of a hole, you're not looking to make that kind of big systemic change. And I think that disagreement on just how screwed the party is is central to understand what they're going to do to get out of the hole, right? If you think that they're pretty close, then you're not going to make big changes.

You're going to wait for Trump to overreach, and you're going to hope to pick up a few seats, and you get a foothold in the House of Representatives in 2026.

You're going to wait for Trump to overreach, and you're going to hope to pick up a few seats, and you get a foothold in the House of Representatives in 2026.

I mean, I think Pat Ryan's putting his finger on this fundamental problem that's facing the party that's beyond Joe Biden. It's a structural problem about the Democratic brand, which is if you look at the House of Representatives, more Democrats need to win Trumpy districts to get a majority. And the same is true for the Senate.

I mean, I think Pat Ryan's putting his finger on this fundamental problem that's facing the party that's beyond Joe Biden. It's a structural problem about the Democratic brand, which is if you look at the House of Representatives, more Democrats need to win Trumpy districts to get a majority. And the same is true for the Senate.

And so you need the brand to be such that you can win the majority by not having to run against the brand. Republicans hold a majority with basically no one. There are arguably two House Republicans who run against the national Republican brand. and they still have a majority, right?

And so you need the brand to be such that you can win the majority by not having to run against the brand. Republicans hold a majority with basically no one. There are arguably two House Republicans who run against the national Republican brand. and they still have a majority, right?

There are a dozen Democrats who try to distance themselves from the national brand in the way that Pat Ryan is describing. The optimist case for Democrats around, okay, the hole's not that deep. The concern really is that That means the party's missing an opportunity for introspection.

There are a dozen Democrats who try to distance themselves from the national brand in the way that Pat Ryan is describing. The optimist case for Democrats around, okay, the hole's not that deep. The concern really is that That means the party's missing an opportunity for introspection.

Somebody else said to me, one of the only advantages of losing is getting to think about how you reset and rebuild. And if you're not going to actually do that rethinking about what the party stands for, then you're unlikely to end up succeeding over the long haul.

Somebody else said to me, one of the only advantages of losing is getting to think about how you reset and rebuild. And if you're not going to actually do that rethinking about what the party stands for, then you're unlikely to end up succeeding over the long haul.

I think that's a big part of the conversation inside the party. It's a question of what do you emphasize? What do you put forward? If you are letting the party be defined in the views of an average voter as focused on those issues, it makes it harder to make an economic case. to those same voters, right? So the New York Times and Ipsos just did a poll. How do people view the Democratic Party?

I think that's a big part of the conversation inside the party. It's a question of what do you emphasize? What do you put forward? If you are letting the party be defined in the views of an average voter as focused on those issues, it makes it harder to make an economic case. to those same voters, right? So the New York Times and Ipsos just did a poll. How do people view the Democratic Party?

How do people view the Republican Party? The top two issues that people have associated with the Democratic Party were abortion and LGBT rights. And Those are not in the top issues for what voters cared about overall. And the top issues for Republicans were around the economy and immigration, which were among the top issues for voters.

How do people view the Republican Party? The top two issues that people have associated with the Democratic Party were abortion and LGBT rights. And Those are not in the top issues for what voters cared about overall. And the top issues for Republicans were around the economy and immigration, which were among the top issues for voters.

So Democrats are going to be supportive of diversity programs in general. The question is how much you emphasize that.

So Democrats are going to be supportive of diversity programs in general. The question is how much you emphasize that.

Well, I'm just excited to talk about baseball with Reid on the podcast. I mean, I think it breaks down to the question of is less more or is more more? And that is one that is really gripping Democrats, especially having watched Trump flood the zone in 2024. Yeah. in the media, right?

Well, I'm just excited to talk about baseball with Reid on the podcast. I mean, I think it breaks down to the question of is less more or is more more? And that is one that is really gripping Democrats, especially having watched Trump flood the zone in 2024. Yeah. in the media, right?