The DNC’s notorious reputation for cutting off its nose to spite its face

In the days leading up to the 2025 Presidential Inauguration, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman made a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago in an effort to pay homage to President-elect Donald Trump. Luckily, Marjorie Taylor Greene’s latest beau, MAGA “journalist” Brian Glenn, wasn’t on hand to ask the senator known for wearing hoodies, “Why don’t you wear a suit?"

On February 25th Democratic strategist James Carville penned an op-ed for the New York Times wherein he suggested the best strategy for Democrats was to do … nothing.

“Already, many Democrats across the party are itching at their seams for a showdown. Instead of gearing up to fight them — as we love to do — the most radical thing we can do is nothing at all,” Carville wrote. “Let the Republicans disagree with themselves publicly. Do not offer a single vote. Do not insert yourself into the discourse. Do not throw a monkey wrench into the equation. Simply step away and let them flirt with a default.”

A few weeks later, Fetterman would join with Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer, Catherine Cortez Masto, Maggie Hassan, Brian Schatz, Gary Peters, Dick Durbin, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Jeanne Shaheen, voting with the GOP to approve a reckless budget aimed at preventing a government shutdown.

Discontent with Carville’s advice and frustrated that his colleagues were seemingly rolling over to the GOP, on March 31st, Democratic Senator Cory Booker set out to protest the Trump Administration and inadvertently break Senator Strom Thurmond’s record for the longest recorded floor speech in Senate history. Thurmond spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

"Our constituents are asking us to acknowledge that this is a crisis. So, I am going to stand here until I no longer can,” the Senator from New Jersey said as he began his marathon protest speech.

On April 1st, having spoken for over 25 hours, the black Senator, who would have never been afforded the opportunity to serve in the Senate had men like Thurmond gotten their way, broke the floor speech record.

Over the next few weeks, Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont teamed up with America’s Evita – New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – taking their “non-partisan” socialist, not quite Peronist (though just as internally conflicted) show of resistance on the road.

Around the same time, DNC Vice Chair David Hogg, who rose to fame in the aftermath of the tragic Parkland High School Shooting, vowed that his Leaders We Deserve PAC would dump $20 million into primary campaigns for younger candidates against “older Democrats.” The PAC endorses candidates for state House seats who are 30 years old and younger as well as candidates who are 35 years old and younger for federal races. The group spent $12 million in the 2024 general election cycle.

James Carville wasn’t impressed with Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, or Hogg.

On his "Politics War Room" podcast, "The Ragin' Cajun" said Democrats have candidates who are "staggeringly more talented" than Sanders or AOC. Later in his tirade, Carville argued that Democrats don't need a "sterling message," asserting that his characterization of the Republican Party will "manifest itself" in the economy, tax cuts, and healthcare.

In a comment on NewsNation, Carville referred to Hogg as a "contemptible little twerp.”

Hogg responded on CNN a short time later.

"Carville believes in a politics of being timid, of hiding. I believe in fighting," Hogg said during an interview with Jake Tapper. "We can't simply just hide, as Carville repeatedly promotes, not to mention the fact that, frankly, he has not won an election since before I was born. I think it's time for some new voices in our party."

Top brass in the DNC have been calling for Hogg to step aside, citing a conflict of interest with the organization’s policies. Democratic voters are torn. Some applaud Hogg, citing the DNC’s notorious reputation for cutting off its nose to spite its face. Others have reservations about Hogg’s PAC and his wildly progressive platform that calls for, among other things, defunding the police.

One thing is certain: Democrats need to get their act together – and fast.

Infighting takes precious time away from strategizing. Thus far, the only strategy Democrats seem to agree on is: “Vote blue because we’re not aligned with Donald Trump.” However, that strategy failed to secure an election victory for their anointed candidate Kamala Harris. Though Trump 2.0 has been a veritable dumpster fire, it is imperative that Democrats offer something tangibly different or face certain demise in the midterms.

J. Basil Dannebohm is a writer, speaker, consultant, former Kansas legislator and intelligencer. His website is www.dannebohm.com. Mr. Dannebohm is a member of the Virginia Press Association and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. He writes from the Washington DC metro in the Commonwealth of Virginia.