Following recent electoral setbacks for Democratic candidates, including Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris, veteran political advisor James Carville has asserted that the party must abandon a focus on identity-based campaigning.
Speaking on the “Politics War Room” podcast, Carville stated emphatically, “No one in the Democratic Party cares anymore about your gender, your race, or your ethnicity. They simply want to win…we’re not here to make history.”
He elaborated, stressing that the sole objective of the party should be victory above all else. “We’re here to secure a win, and we will do whatever is necessary to achieve that goal. When our motivations stray from this fundamental aim, it undermines our chances.”
Responding to a listener’s query about challenging the idea of candidates being nominated based on perceived “turns” rather than electability, Carville drew parallels to past political decisions, referencing former President Obama’s 2016 endorsement of Hillary Clinton over Joe Biden.
“The ‘turn,’ as it were,” he explained, “is to win.”
Carville acknowledged that the Democratic Party would enthusiastically support a female candidate with a strong chance of securing the presidency. However, he underscored that winning should be the paramount consideration.
As he stated directly, “If we find ourselves with a woman who stands the best opportunity to win, we should rally behind her. If it’s a man, we rally behind him. The most crucial factor is securing victory in this election; nothing else holds significance.”
In essence, Carville concluded with a succinct and memorable directive: “Winning is everything, stupid.”
- The Democratic Party needs to prioritize winning elections over identity politics.
- James Carville believes past decisions based on perceived “turns” have hindered the party’s success.
- Support for candidates should be solely determined by their potential to win.
“Remember, that’s a big, big hangover in Biden world that Obama decided that it was Hillary’s turn, not Biden’s turn, so he couldn’t run [in 2016].”
