The biggest crisis in the Democratic Party today is its utter failure to present a coherent, inspiring message to Americans. Voters have no idea what Democrats stand for or how the party plans to improve their lives. If you want to see a perfect example of why Democrats are so god-awful at communicating, take a look at the clip below of Ohio senator Sherrod Brown’s appearance on last Sunday’s Meet the Press.
Host Chuck Todd sets up the segment with the premise that voters simply don’t know what Democrats are for beyond being anti-Trump. His first question to Brown: “Is that a fair criticism?”
It’s a big, slow softball over the heart of the plate: a perfect opportunity to explain—now, at last—what the party stands for. It’s a question that Brown—who certainly knew why he was on the show—should have knocked out of the park and into the Allegheny River. Instead, he fouls it into his own dugout. Watch the first 1:40 of this exchange: