I’ve read a lot of rubbish about why the Democrats lost the election, but I found a plausible concept in a magazine article a few days ago. The theory was that the Democrats talk to people as they should be, while Republicans meet them where they actually are.
It is abundantly clear that the blue base consists of a scolding, neo-puritanical core that sits around waiting to slap anyone who gets out of line on social media. As a result, Democratic politicians are afraid to say what they really think–look at Harris in her interviews in 2024. That leads to allegations of inauthenticity and an alienated electorate.
With that as background, consider the reaction to “Governor Hot Wheels,” which was genuinely funny and not really insulting to disabled people. The Democrats can’t win a race to the bottom with Trump and the GOP, but they can loosen up a bit. And they should.