Is it time to take the "Oligarchy Tour" seriously?
How AOC & Bernie are hijacking the Democratic establishment (again)
Welcome back to The Red Letter.
While establishment Democrats lean on consultants to handle their soul searching, AOC and Bernie Sanders are going with their guts and attacking Trump’s new villainous friends, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, who have been reviled by both the right and the left. Their “Fighting the Oligarchy Tour” has been drawing tens of thousands of people, and as Fox News’ Tomi Lahren pointed out to me on her show (above) it’s not a big feat in Los Angeles, but I do think it’s time to take note when 20,000 people show up in deep red Utah for an AOC rally. Crowds aren’t votes but in a leadership vacuum, AOC and Sanders are filling the void with a populist message that’s becoming a veritable political movement.
The party better catch up or they will hijack it again. It’s ironic that one of its oldest member is churning out some of the freshest ideas.
See you again tomorrow when I drop an episode with the GOAT Maureen Dowd that is, of course, laced with Shakespeare.
You know who I'd like to see lead the Dems? Sheldon Whitehouse.
Hell, I'd like to see him in the Whitehouse. It's rare to hear BS coming from him.
The Bern hasn't deviated in his messaging for decades. AOC helped create some of the litmus tests that turned off some potential Harris voters as too Progressive. I have no doubt she can find her voice - perhaps moderate her image - with the anti-oligarch message.
I wonder if this isn't more message testing than hijacking.
Terrific analysis. I'm baffled at why Jeffries and Schumer aren't doing the same thing. They are after all in leadership positions. But are not they are not showing any leadership. Booker's speech or filibuster while largely symbolic is an attempt of some kind of leadership.
Signed
Confused in California