In a recent podcast, Katie Couric, the former host of NBC's "Today" show, expressed concern over the Democratic Party's dwindling connection with the working class.
She urged the party to strengthen its ties with this crucial demographic ahead of the November elections.
According to Fox News, Couric, in her conversation with Alyssa Mastromonaco, former deputy chief of staff in the Obama White House, on the "Hysteria" podcast, stated, "I think that there needs to be a greater connection between the working class and the Democratic Party because, lets face itthe Democrats have kind of lost the working class." Couric's comments reflect a shift from her years of political coverage when the working class was seen as a stronghold for the Democrats.
Couric further noted the changing narrative, "You had the head of the Teamsters at the RNC, you have people buying into this notion that Republicans care about dinner table issues much more than Democrats. And these narratives, I think, have become too deeply entrenched about liberal college-educated elites who are condescending."
The former news anchor attributed the decline in Democratic support among working-class Americans to Hillary Clinton's infamous "basket of deplorables" comment about former President Trump and his supporters. This remark, widely criticized at the time, is often seen as a turning point that contributed to Trump's 2016 victory.
Couric emphasized the need for Democrats to establish a "much stronger connection" with the working class. She suggested that Kamala Harris should actively engage with the "regular Joes." Couric stated, "They can't just give up on that voting bloc[they should say] 'Hey, we care about you, we care about your issues, we know a lot of things have really been hardbut this is how we're going to help. I just want to see her with a welding hat on, working with regular Joes."
Political historians John B. Judis and Ruy Teixeira have noted the Democrats' loss of voters in this critical base in recent years. They attribute this shift to the changing political landscape in the Trump era and the left's adoption of what conservatives would describe as woke politics.
Mastromonaco, during the podcast, defended the Democrats' use of the label "weird" against Trump and his running mate JD Vance. Couric responded, "You can think their behavior and their rhetoric is weird," but you can also do a better job of reaching out to disaffected voters who are non-college educated White people, in particular who feel left out."
Couric also expressed agreement with some Democrats' criticism of the "racial segregation" of the Zoom campaign events for Harris. She argued that those critical of the separate nature of the groups, with video calls titled "White Dudes for Harris," "Women for Harris," and "Black Women for Harris," have some "legitimate points." This critique underscores the need for the Democratic Party to reassess its strategies and reconnect with its traditional voter base.
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