James Carville urges Dems to avoid distractions, offers new economic message

Democratic strategist James Carville urged Democrats to avoid distractions in a guest essay for The New York Times on Monday and laid out a plan for the party to win back voters with economic messaging. 

“This can only be done if we avoid the distractions — whether it’s Mr. Trump’s third-term talk or Democratic infighting on social issues — and instead focus on the economic foundations that matter to Americans most. My fellow Democrats, it’s time we transform our party into a projector for the economic pain of the American people,” Carville wrote.

The former Clinton advisor referenced an essay he wrote for the Times in February “calling on my party’s leaders to play dead, allowing the Republicans to punch themselves out and crumble beneath their own weight.” He then lamented: “But many Democrats indulged Mr. Trump’s lunacy or allowed themselves to become the story over the government funding and shutdown debate, while the president continued his campaign of chaos and distraction.” 

“Now, Democrats have an opportunity to allow the Republicans to edge closer to collapse as the party in full control of Washington — let’s please not become the story again and get in their way,” Carville added. 

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Carville said Democrats needed to focus on everyday economic concerns like high prices and 401k accounts while honing in on local messaging. Specifically, the Democratic strategist said it wasn’t about the stock market. 

“Democrats cannot afford to hinge our economic narrative on the rise and fall of a market for the privileged,” he said. 

Carville wrote that it was important for Democrats to understand it wasn’t about them, adding, “This is not about us going on CNN or taking to X to complain about the president.”

He told Democrats to go on podcasts and project local stories about farmers and others who might be directly affected by tariffs. 

“If we avoid the distractions to come and stay focused on the economy, Democrats can take back the one issue that has kept Trump on a respirator all this time. Through all the hardships to come, we bring the silver lining. And finally, we can begin again,” he concluded. 

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Carville warned Tuesday on his podcast that Americans should be on “high alert” about President Donald Trump potentially interfering in the midterm elections.

“What I think is — if he sees himself going down, he’s going to try to take the whole country with him,” Carville said of Trump. “He is not loyal to the United States of America. He does not like this country. He criticizes it all the time. He has affection for dictators. He has an affection for authoritarianism.”

“And it’s getting worse by the day. It is not going to stop getting worse. And I would be, we ought to be on high, high alert. So he’s going to try anything he can and to help himself. Of course, I believe the man genuinely wants to hurt the country.”

Fox News’ Kristine Parks contributed to this report.