The right has called Democrats elitist for years. In this study, the Center made the case more often than anyone. The theme holds 266 quotes from 47 voices across 67 videos. Among quotes with a known political leaning, 30% came from Center voices, the largest share of any group, followed by the Left and the Far Right at 24% each.
The UChicago Institute of Politics contributed 42 quotes, more than any other source, from its panels on the future of the Democratic Party. BlazeTV, Pod Save America and Greg Godels & Pat Cummings follow.
Many of these quotes are about tone as much as policy. The sub-theme on condescending communication holds 55 quotes, close behind unpopular academic and activist priorities (58) and the diploma divide (56). One UChicago panelist contrasted a Tesla with an old Toyota Corolla: “driving your Toyota Corolla with 500k on it, you know, that’s real environmentalism.” Another told Democrats, “it’s okay to be cool and go to cultural events.”
A class argument as well as a cultural one
On the left, the critique is often about class. The American Idea Podcast cited Bernie Sanders asking why anyone was surprised that “the working class abandoned us when we’ve abandoned the working class.” Greg Godels & Pat Cummings, on the Far Left, spend much of their airtime on campus culture, from safe spaces to microaggressions, and argue that the left’s debates have become too academic to win supporters.
On the right, BlazeTV hosts describe a party that holds Republican voters in contempt, pointing to Biden’s “garbage” remark. Rebel News argues the party’s messaging pushes away men. The Daily Show quote above lists the complaints the two sides share.
They were too woke. Insisting that people use the term Latinx. Too far to the left on transgender rights… Stop with the virtue signaling. Step away from woke.
The Daily Show
