Democrats wasted billions on outdated broadcast TV advertising, a tactic that is no longer effective for reaching modern voters.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "just in 2024 alone we spent the Democratic side right in campaigns and elections over 10 billion I mean it's obscene the amount of money but where did most of that go to broadcast TV a very outdated uh practice and tactic that you would and I do question whether or not it's effective anymore."

  51:55 Watch ↗

• "I'm 51 years old uh I still read a hard copy of a newspaper but I don't watch broadcast TV right I don't know anyone my age that watches broadcast TV why in the hell are we paying these Consultants 20% off of the media Buy on a tactic that doesn't work we need to update our thinking and how we're reaching voters."

  52:46 Watch ↗

The Democratic party's strategy is driven by a DC-based consultant class that has a perverse financial incentive to recommend expensive, outdated tactics (like TV ads) rather than effective, winning strategies.

• Internal Party Dysfunction & Organizational Decay

• "the reality is is what drives that uh is consultants in DC who've never really spoken to a voter or set foot in any of our states to be honest with you because they make 20% 15 to 20% off of every buy we have a diverse profit incentive for these Consultants to steer tactics not towards winning but towards where they can make the most amount of money."

  52:14 Watch ↗

• "we have to break this uh uh consultant uh complex in DC we need to be much more creative with our thinking we need to engage content creators and people in online spaces and other spaces where where people are at and we need to be more sophisticated in understanding that the Republicans are doing this in in very very sophisticated ways."

  53:55 Watch ↗

Democrats have failed to adapt their outreach strategy, continuing to use legacy media while voters have migrated to online spaces and digital platforms.

• Media Ecosystem Failure

• "I go to where the deer are and this is the point that you've made before and other content creators which is we have to go where the voters are right and meet them where they're at they're not on broadcast TV anymore."

  53:13 Watch ↗

• "we need to do an information consumption survey where we really get at where people are getting their information and notice I don't say news because so many people purposely try to avoid the news yet they're getting barraged with information all the time."

  53:41 Watch ↗

Democrats cling to strategies with no accountability or measurable metrics (like TV ads), while ignoring modern digital methods that provide real-time data on message effectiveness.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "when you're doing these ads on broadcast TV there's there's really no way to tell whether or not they've been successful other than to look at the results of the election more broadly and if Democrats lose the election more broadly it's really still even still difficult to just say well this consultant …"

  54:46 Watch ↗

• "… I have minute-by-minute data and I can see whether it's overperforming or underperforming I can see how many shares something's gotten how many comments something's gotten how effective it's been at breaking through"

  55:17 Watch ↗

Democratic messaging lacks a positive, aspirational vision, focusing too much on fear and attacking the opposition rather than defining who Democrats are and what they fight for.

• Ineffective Economic & Policy Messaging

• "could we for once use hope and aspiration instead of fear to appeal to people if we're raising money right give people a sense of what we're going to do and what we're fighting for versus the gu is falling and if you don't support us uh you know Donald Trump's going to win."

  59:16 Watch ↗

• "I think part of our larger messaging problem is we focus way too much on on the other side we don't give people a sense of who we are which is why we've lost ground with so many people and it's the same with our fundraising it's always this Doom and Gloom and and the other side and Donald Trump."

  59:41 Watch ↗

The Democratic party is stuck in a cycle of repeating the same failed strategies election after election, refusing to adapt even when faced with clear evidence that its tactics are ineffective.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "it is the high what's that old saying that sure a sign of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result you're absolutely right about the metrics and being able uh to really see in real time the efficacy of of of this content."

  56:36 Watch ↗

• "I think if there's one thing that we can all agree on it's that the path that we're taking right now is not it um and uh and we need changes in terms of our messaging we need changes in terms of our mess messaging distribution so the whole gamut here."

  59:57 Watch ↗

The Democratic party's fundraising strategy is counterproductive, alienating its own base with a constant barrage of negative, fear-mongering texts and emails that turn people off from politics.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "those texts uh the Doom the the Doom text and the you know the sky is falling if you don't give us $5 now and we meet this deadline we're going to lose the election it actually turns more people off right."

  58:11 Watch ↗

• "the constant barrage 10 20 30 texts a day … and and I it turns me off right I unsubscribe from every single text message I get because it is just full of right."

  58:49 Watch ↗

Democrats have ceded the influential online media space to Republicans, who effectively use trusted, long-term messengers and content creators to shape public opinion year-round.

• Media Ecosystem Failure

• "… when when September October of an election year comes around those are people who are already trusted Messengers for Americans and if their political ideology um starts to come out in September or October that is going to be so much more effective at shaping the worldview of Americans who listen to them than a 30 second ad"

  51:05 Watch ↗

• "the Republicans are doing this in in very very sophisticated ways they're not bringing people like me onto these uh spaces they're using trusted Messengers people who are already part of these communities right to actually spew out their misinformation and lies and they are effective in doing that."

  54:11 Watch ↗

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is too centralized in Washington D.C. and must shift its focus and resources to the states to build a 'permanent campaign' infrastructure.

• Internal Party Dysfunction & Organizational Decay

• "what I would say is I I've been running from uh day one when I got into this race I was a first person in the race on on the idea that we need a permanent campaign we need to get the DNC out of DC focused in the States on a permanent campaign"

  47:00 Watch ↗

Democrats are losing the 'messaging wars' because their response to the powerful right-wing media ecosystem that exists to vilify them is weak, formal, and ineffective.

• Media Ecosystem Failure

• "especially when you have an entire right-wing media ecosystem that exist to vilify Democrats when our push back to that is press releases it's no wonder that we're losing on on the messaging Wars"

  28:22 Watch ↗

The Democratic party's fundraising strategy, which relies on 'relentless' and alarmist text messages, is counterproductive and alienates supporters rather than building long-term support.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "we also have to figure out how to bring people into this Coalition through Avenues other than peppering them with Relentless text messages about how the sky is falling and to give money and are be matched 10 times over and if you don't uh democracy will falter tomorrow and Locust Will Rain from the SK like that is not how to build um build support longstanding support among your Coalition it's a good way to push people away."

  9:10 Watch ↗

For the last decade, Democrats have completely failed to build a progressive independent media ecosystem, including a 'creator class' and 'influencer class,' while the right has successfully built a powerful and effective one.

• Media Ecosystem Failure

• "the Democrats have wasted the last 10 years f failing to validate our Independent Media Outlets failing to build up a Creator class failing failing to build up an influencer class failing to build up an independent media a progressive Independent Media class while the right has done exactly that and so the right has Dy wire Dan banino Megan Kelly uh uh Ben Shapiro Alex Jones oan Newsmax Fox they have they have um all of these new influencers in the manosphere..."

  25:25 Watch ↗

Democrats create a strategic disadvantage by continuing to appear on mainstream media outlets like CNN and MSNBC, which are not overtly partisan, while Republicans benefit from a media ecosystem that 'breathlessly and shamelessly' advocates for them.

• Media Ecosystem Failure

• "any minute of the day you can still find the vast majority of our elected officials going on MSNBC and CNN and there is a massive disparity there because while right-wing media will Advocate breathlessly and shamelessly and overtly for Republicans our liberal media doesn't do that there so the asymmetry is massive we spend all of our time validating these news outlets these these news sources that are not on our team and frankly that's hurting our party that is hurting our ability to be able to win..."

  25:57 Watch ↗

Democratic leaders fail to treat independent media as a serious, long-term strategic asset, only engaging with platforms like podcasts as a last-minute tactic before an election instead of consistently validating them to build a lasting infrastructure.

• Media Ecosystem Failure

• "that relies on our politicians going ahead and validating them going ahead and giving them 10 minutes of their time getting you know the the presidential candidates like kamla Harris to go sit on our podcast instead of only remembering that that podcast exist um you know a few days before the election and for her specific instance obviously not her fault she had 100 days to run this campaign but right now we are in the campaign for 2026 and so we have two years and so show that you have learned the lesson from 2024 show that you're actually going to embrace um Independent Media..."

  26:48 Watch ↗

Democratic messaging is outdated and unrelatable because it relies on formal communications like press releases, which fails to connect with regular people, unlike opponents like Donald Trump who speak at their level.

• Ineffective Economic & Policy Messaging

• "you've got Donald Trump out here giving freewheeling speeches that last an hour to his supporters and he speaks at their level which is not a compliment but it's the reality and when you have people who speak to other human beings at their level they're able to to relate to them a hell of a lot better than you can relate to somebody who issues a press release we have to modernize the way that we that we communicate uh with regular people uh in this country"

  27:54 Watch ↗

The Democratic party's fundraising tactics are counterproductive, alienating supporters by constantly asking for money without building a long-term relationship or demonstrating that the funds are being used effectively.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "we obviously have to make some changes in terms of how we pepper people for money um that is not creating any any long-standing relationship uh with with the DNC and uh and and and the rest of us out here feeling like we're just being squeezed for every dime that we have um and frankly I think that there would be a higher willingness to give if we saw that that money was put to good use."

  28:38 Watch ↗

Democrats failed to deliver a return on investment for donors after raising $2 billion in 2024, only to lose every swing state and the popular vote, thus eroding trust and making future fundraising more difficult.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "it's hard to ask people to watch $2 billion get raised in the 2024 election cycle only to lose every swing state in the entire country and the popular vote if only lose every every swing state and popular vote and so and so what we need to do is show that we actually are capable of winning these elections and and that the money is being put to good use"

  29:00 Watch ↗

Democratic campaign funds are wasted on ineffective, old-guard strategies like paying political consultants who don't win elections and buying TV ads with questionable effectiveness, instead of investing in year-round organizing and modern infrastructure.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "giving money that God knows where it goes It goes to Consultants who are not good at winning elections it goes to TV ads that are going to air for people who um who who represent a shrinking faction of the pie ads whose Effectiveness is in doubt"

  29:40 Watch ↗

Democrats are misallocating hundreds of millions of dollars on consultants and linear TV ads that reach a shrinking audience, when that money would be far more effective if invested in independent media and a 'creator class' with greater reach.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "I think that that um focusing focusing on Independent Media and the Creator class is going to be able to reach a hell of a lot more people than dumping hundreds of millions of dollars into um into Consultants who create ads for linear TV that gets seen by fewer and fewer people every year."

  30:00 Watch ↗

The Democratic party brand has become a liability for its own candidates, who feel the need to run away from the party rather than leveraging it as a resource.

• Internal Party Dysfunction & Organizational Decay

• "a lot of the postmortem that we've heard out of the as far as the DNC is concerned is that or as far as the Democratic party more broadly is concerned is that really Democrats are bolstering their bonafides in the Party by talking about how much they can run away from the party more broadly the party really should be a boon for Democrats not a liability it should be a resource for Democrats not something that drags them down"

  41:36 Watch ↗

Democrats have failed to compete in a vast number of elections by ignoring down-ballot races like school boards and city councils, focusing too narrowly on congressional races.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "they're focused up and down the ballot almost exclusively in school boards City councils mayoral ships right these are places we've been ignoring in 2022 Brian we as a Democratic party did not contest over half of the elections throughout the country why because we were too focused on Congress and not focused on on elections in the states on the ground where they were pushing a very far right agenda."

  43:18 Watch ↗

Democrats have a technologically outdated media strategy, over-relying on broadcast TV ads while Republicans have successfully adapted to the new information environment by using micro-influencers and other digital channels.

• Media Ecosystem Failure

• "on the communications front where the Republicans kicked our ass uh is starting in 2020 they made this the shift a whole complete paradigm shift to realize that broadcast TV right is not where it's at anymore they understood we need we live in this new information um environment that we have to be competing on all Communications channels they were using micro influencers right to essentially spew out their misinformation disinformation and lies and we weren't doing the same thing."

  48:08 Watch ↗

Democrats misallocate campaign funds on massive, ineffective, last-minute ad buys, while Republicans make smarter, long-term investments in media infrastructure that allow for year-round narrative control.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "in South Florida Democrats basically dropped as they do millions and millions and millions and millions of dollars on ads that of course run you know September October of an election year in one year out the other Republicans spent $350,000 buying up one of the last politically neutral radio stations in South Florida so they basically gave themselves the ability to so to speak to prze all year round while Democrats were just focused on throwing as much money as possible at these ads"

  49:53 Watch ↗

By waiting until the final months of an election to ramp up communications, Democrats allow Republicans to negatively define them and their candidates before they even have a chance to present their own message.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "by the way we were already defined um before we ever had a chance to Define ourselves when we got to the election and we started up our our Communications effort so when I talk about a permanent campaign we need permanent organizing too like we do in Minnesota year round organizing"

  49:03 Watch ↗

Democrats are losing support from key demographic groups because voters do not feel the tangible, positive impacts of Democratic policies in their daily lives, a problem exacerbated by the party's failure to compete at the local level.

• Flawed Policy Design & Unpopular Agenda

• "we've lost ground with so many uh groups of people right Latino voters Women Voters young voters workingclass house households and why do we continue to lose ground because they're not feeling the impacts of our policies that we champion in their day-to-day lives where do they feel that those greatest impacts well guess what in cities in in counties in their day-to-day lives and that's why we need to be competing there"

  46:19 Watch ↗

Democrats inefficiently allocated massive fundraising hauls, while Republicans achieved better results with fewer resources by being strategically smarter.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "in this election cycle we raised upwards of north of $2 billion and and it's and it's very much in the same vein where Republicans didn't raise as much money and yet because they were smarter about the way that they allocated their resources in terms of who spoke to people out you know out in America."

  50:47 Watch ↗

The party prioritizes fundraising requests over genuine grassroots mobilization, failing to ask supporters to volunteer, door-knock, or attend rallies.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "I hear from a lot of donors who uh not donors but people who are you know longtime party supporters who say you never send me an email asking me to volunteer or to door knock right or or to show up for a rally it's always about money right."

  58:26 Watch ↗

Democrats operate on an outdated campaign model, wrongly believing voters only engage late in the election cycle, which leads them to compress all their organizing and communications into the final few months.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "the old conventional wisdom in politics was that uh you undecided voters broke two weeks before an election and that people didn't start paying attention to politics until 5 to 6 months before the election … what Democrats have done as a result of that thinking is we truncate all of our activity into those final five months whether it's our organizing activity whether it's our Communications activity."

  47:18 Watch ↗

Democratic messaging is unrelatable and ineffective because it sounds like formal 'press releases,' which creates distance from voters and fails to tell a compelling story.

• Ineffective Economic & Policy Messaging

• "… Donald Trump for all of his faults of which there are many can actually speak to people in a way that they can appreciate and understand meanwhile when you have Democrats speaking in press releases of course that creates um distance between these elected officials and the people that they represent people don't consume news in press releases that that they're not moved by press releases they're not uh impact Ed by press releases that's not how you tell a story that's not how you get people on board and so I think we have to bring our communication strategy into the 21st century"

  8:33 Watch ↗

Democrats have failed to develop a modern media strategy, ceding the influential space of independent media to the right and focusing on legacy media outlets that only preach to the converted.

• Media Ecosystem Failure

• "first and foremost we need a focus on Independent Media obviously I'm biased in this issue but I think messaging is the whole ball game … the reality is that most people get their news from independent sources whether it's on YouTube on Twitch on Facebook um independent Outlets there has there have been fewer and fewer people who are watching Legacy Media and we have completely seeded that ground to the right we are 10 years late on this issue of of properly embracing Independent Media … going on MSNBC I'm sorry is not going to persuade anybody you're bringing sand to the beach you're just convincing the people who are already on board that they should continue to be on board it doesn't move anything."

  5:02 Watch ↗

Democrats failed to effectively message against Donald Trump after the election by not highlighting how his actions (firing FBI staff, pardoning criminals) contradicted his populist campaign promises to help working people.

• Ineffective Economic & Policy Messaging

• "we ran an entire election cycle in 2024 that was predicated on this idea that Donald Trump was going to swoop into office and govern as some populist who's focused on lowering cost for regular people lowering the cost of groceries lowering the cost of rents lowering the cost of housing lowering the cost of eggs and yet he's come into office and he's had time to fire half of the FBI he's had time to Pardon 16600 criminals"

  31:20 Watch ↗

The Democratic party's voter outreach is transactional and alienating because the first and only contact with voters is often to ask for their vote, rather than building a year-round relationship.

• Flawed Strategy & Tactical Incompetence

• "we need permanent organizing too like we do in Minnesota year round organizing so we're not just the the first conversation we have with voters is not just asking them to do something for our party and candidates right that's the problem we have as Democrats"

  49:15 Watch ↗

Democrats are perceived as 'spineless' and lacking the willingness to fight aggressively for their values, in stark contrast to the Republican approach.

• Flawed Candidacy & Leadership Vacuum

• "in 2016 someone said to me the Republicans are Shameless and the Democrats are spineless we've got to grow a damn spine we got to show people we're willing to fight for our values and we got to get back in the game and in short order"

  44:10 Watch ↗

Compared to the conservative movement, the Democratic party and progressive movement are less focused on the fundamental goals of winning elections and building political power.

• Internal Party Dysfunction & Organizational Decay

• "I'll tell you I'm not here to win the argument I'm here to win elections right and my point on that is we have to fiercely realize that what the conservative movement has done in this country much better than our party frankly uh in the Progressive Movement is they are focused almost exclusively on winning and building power because they know that coming in second or losing by less doesn't help you actually pass an agenda"

  42:51 Watch ↗