Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential bid crashed spectacularly, exposing the crumbling myth of Obama-era strategists’ invincibility. The Democratic Party, once dazzled by Barack Obama’s political machine, now faces a reckoning as its reliance on his playbook falters, as NBC News reports. Harris’ loss to Donald Trump has conservatives chuckling at the left’s nostalgia for a bygone era.
Harris’ campaign, leaning heavily on Obama’s old guard, fell flat against Donald Trump’s juggernaut. Her defeat, a stinging rebuke of progressive hubris, revealed the Democratic Party’s strategic missteps. The old Obama coalition -- young voters, minorities, and the disengaged -- shifted toward Trump in droves.
Harris reached out to Jim Messina, an Obama campaign veteran, to steer her 2024 run. Messina, wisely sensing a sinking ship, declined after a blunt warning from Democratic Party megadonor John Morgan. “You’re going to be a loser,” Morgan told him, sparing Messina’s reputation from the wreckage.
David Plouffe, the supposed genius behind Obama’s 2008 win, joined Harris’ campaign but couldn’t salvage it. “The shine’s off Plouffe now,” Morgan quipped, gleefully noting his fall from grace. Conservatives might argue Plouffe’s “golden boy” status was always more hype than substance.
Plouffe, bitter in defeat, pointed fingers at Joe Biden in a new book, whining, “He totally f---ed us.” Blaming Biden for the campaign’s compressed 107-day timeline feels like a weak excuse. The real issue? An outdated strategy that couldn’t counter Trump’s populist surge.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is scrambling to recover, even eyeing New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to host Obama for a fundraiser. But DNC officials aren’t mincing words about Obama’s legacy. They’ve criticized his neglect of state parties during his presidency, which left local organizing in shambles.
DNC finance chair Chris Korge slammed the reliance on Obama’s consultants, declaring, “The old Obama playbook no longer works.” His call for fresh faces resonates with conservatives who see the left’s obsession with recycled strategies as laughably out of touch. It’s time the Democrats ditch the nostalgia, Korge seems to suggest.
Jane Kleeb, Nebraska Democratic Party chair, echoed this sentiment, dismissing the “Pod Save America” crowd’s influence. “We don’t give a s--- about what camp a political consultant cut their teeth in,” she said, touting her party’s success in the Omaha mayoral race. Her team’s independent ad strategy helped John Ewing trounce incumbent Jean Stothert by nearly 13 points.
Kleeb’s frustration with party infighting cuts to the core of the Democrats’ woes. “Let this intraparty fighting and whose camp is better -- let it go,” she urged. Conservatives might smirk, knowing a divided left only strengthens the MAGA movement’s momentum.
The Obama coalition, once a progressive powerhouse, abandoned Harris in 2024. Younger voters and voters of color, lured by Trump’s anti-establishment appeal, left Democrats stunned. Embattled DNC vice-chair David Hogg noted, “They don’t remember much of what Obama talked about,” highlighting the generational disconnect.
Hogg, a young activist, admitted that the Democrats lack a clear message for those under 20. Growing up in Trump’s shadow, these voters see him as the political norm, not Obama’s lofty rhetoric. The left’s failure to adapt to this reality is a self-inflicted wound.
Mike Nellis, another prominent Democrat insider, lamented the “de-evolution” of politics since Obama’s era. He pines for a time when Obama’s leadership style defined the party. But conservatives know nostalgia won’t win elections -- results do.
Harris’ campaign leaned on Obama alumni like Jen O’Malley Dillon, who appointed Stephanie Cutter, Mitch Stewart, and Rufus Gifford to key roles. Their undeniable experience couldn’t overcome a shifting electorate or Trump’s relentless campaign. Chuck Rocha criticized the clique, saying, “There’s never any opportunity for new blood.”
Chris Kofinis, a noted Democratic Party strategist, didn’t hold back, comparing the old guard to “a surgeon who keeps killing patients.” His jab at their track record stings, especially since Obama’s wins were more about his charisma than their genius. “It’s pretty easy to win with a guy like Obama,” Kofinis scoffed.
Steve Schale defended Plouffe, calling critics “idiots” and praising his “clear-eyed” vision. Yet, with the 2028 election looming -- 20 years after Obama’s first victory -- the Democrats must rethink their approach. Clinging to a faded playbook while Trump’s movement grows is a recipe for more losses, and conservatives are here for it.
