Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) is placing the blame for the Democratic Party’s declining national approval squarely on the shoulders of the mainstream media.
Speaking during a Friday night appearance on MSNBC’s The Last Word, Clyburn argued that the issue isn’t with the party’s messaging itself, but with how it’s being conveyed by the press. He insisted that Democrats are being misrepresented and dismissed the idea that their policies are too progressive.
“I think the message coming from the Democratic Party is a good message,” Clyburn said.
“The problem we’ve got is that we have to depend upon the media to deliver it.”
Host Ali Velshi pushed back slightly, noting the critique that the party has failed to unify behind a clear and compelling narrative.
“There were people who said the [2024] protest movement didn’t have the energy that it did after the 2016 election of Donald Trump,” he said.
Clyburn disagreed, attributing the perception of weakness not to the Democrats themselves but to the media’s hunger for ratings and attention—often, he claimed, by giving Trump undue influence.
“If we have The Washington Post, for instance, caving to this wannabe dictator and we’ve got other media entities that seem to rather push a narrative that will bring eyes to their newspapers or to their television sets and not really give a fair hearing or reporting to what we’re doing,” Clyburn whined.
Clyburn also revealed plans to launch a series of town hall meetings beyond his home district to present the Democratic platform directly to voters. He described the messaging he intends to share as focused and impactful.
“It’s going to be very coherent,” he said.
“A little bit alarming, but something people will understand if they hear it.”
He reserved positive words for MSNBC and Velshi in particular, applauding their willingness to go deeper into the issues without sensationalizing.
“That’s why I like coming on your shows on the weekends,” he said.
Clyburn concluded with a harsh critique of media outlets that, in his opinion, allow misinformation to flourish unchecked, to the detriment of his party.
“That’s what’s killing us as Democrats,” he said.
“We don’t have a stomach for just lying.”
His remarks follow a string of unfavorable polls highlighting the party’s struggles with public perception.
A March CNN poll revealed that 54 percent of Americans view the Democratic Party unfavorably.
Another survey conducted by Harvard CAPS/Harris showed similarly bleak results, underscoring the challenges Democrats face in the lead-up to the next election.
{Matzav.com}