Video Discusses Lawmakers Strategy
The New York Times has taken a rare turn in its latest Opinion Video, offering a sharp critique of the Democratic Party’s strategy—or lack thereof—following its devastating losses in the 2024 elections.
With former Vice President Kamala Harris failing to secure the presidency and the Senate slipping out of Democratic hands, party leaders are scrambling to find a path forward. But according to the Times' own production, they’re stuck in the same ineffective cycle that led to their downfall in the first place.
The video opened with a biting premise: “Democrats, your party leaders have a fool-proof plan to stop Trump by boldly doubling down on everything that has never worked before.”
What followed was a montage of Democratic leaders and liberal activists repeating past mistakes. Clips of Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Maxine Waters chanting “We will win” at an anti-Elon Musk protest set the tone—resistance politics at its most performative. The video quickly pivots to show former Trump voters expressing regret, only to be met with a smug liberal response: “I told you so.”
The satirical commentary doesn’t hold back. One segment mocks Democratic voters who retreat into ideological bubbles, playing a clip of former CNN host Don Lemon gleefully sneering at Trump supporters: “Yes, I am gloating over your stupidity.” The message is clear—if the goal is to win back swing voters, this is the worst possible approach.
The production takes further jabs at liberal political theater, highlighting celebrity protests, exaggerated outrage, and the kind of aimless “resistance” that energizes Twitter but does little to sway actual voters. The video paints a picture of a party obsessed with moral superiority at the expense of electoral strategy, warning that by the time Democrats shift from resistance to persuasion, “it will be too late.”
A particularly brutal observation comes in the form of a stark reality check: “Elections are won by peeling off a few swing voters, but the #Resistance pushed them further away.”
In a rare moment of constructive criticism, the video acknowledges that Democrats do have an opening, thanks to the inevitable chaos of another Trump presidency. His aggressive trade policies, mass government layoffs, and hardline stance on border security are bound to alienate some of his own voters. But as the video’s producers, Amanda Su and Alexander Stockton, point out, Democrats are failing to capitalize on this opportunity.
The video ends with a warning: “Democrats are going to need a better rallying cry than ‘I told you so.’”