Prominent Democrats have giddily declared their party and its agenda beloved by the American people based on the results of Tuesday’s midterm elections.
SO WHAT
If Democrats believe their own hype, it could be a long couple years.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Here’s how six current and former Democratic officials have publicly interpreted their party escaping the midterms with a light beating, as opposed to the predicted trouncing:
“If we did better than anybody expected, it’s because we have a good president, ladies and gentlemen, and a rock star in the speaker of the House …”
— Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, the DCCC chairman who lost his reelection bid in New York
“That’s an agenda people liked, and they didn’t like extremism, and that feels good.”
— Jen Psaki, an MSNBC pundit and Joe Biden’s former White House press secretary, on the president’s climate, economic and abortion policies
“I think at least people in Colorado and I would say across the country, want to see that kind of progress …”
— Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., on Democrats’ agenda, including economic, gun, climate and healthcare policies
“[Abortion] is a kitchen table issue … abortion is an economic issue, and we are seeing that born out in the data and the votes.”
— Symone Sanders, MSNBC host and former chief spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris
“Fetterman as a nominee at some point for president?”
— MSNBC host Katy Tur, on Sen.-elect John Fetterman, D-Pa., who won despite suffering a debilitating stroke during the campaign
“Nothing. Because they’re just finding out what we’re doing. The more they know about what we’re doing, the more support there is.”
— President Joe Biden, on what he plans do differently in the next two years given widespread public frustration, though he acknowledged that voters “were also clear that they are still frustrated”
OK, BUT
According to an NBC News poll released just ahead of the midterms:
- 53% of likely voters disapprove of Biden’s job performance,
- 72% think America is heading in the wrong direction, and
- 81% are very or somewhat dissatisfied with the economy.