Perry Bacon
@perrybaconjr.bsky.social
Government and policy writer. Views are my own. pbacon@tnr.com
Reposted by Perry Bacon
"[T]he fact that Biden, an honorable man trying to implement a practical agenda, was about as unpopular a president as Donald Trump actually isn’t easy to explain, and is absolutely insane and really depressing...." GREAT piece from @perrybaconjr.bsky.social newrepublic.com/article/2029...
Voters Hate Trump. Good. But Democrats Should Take No Solace in That.
It’s great that voters have turned against Trump. But they turned against Biden. They keep turning against presidents. Here’s how Democrats can deal with that.
newrepublic.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:23 PM
"[T]he fact that Biden, an honorable man trying to implement a practical agenda, was about as unpopular a president as Donald Trump actually isn’t easy to explain, and is absolutely insane and really depressing...." GREAT piece from @perrybaconjr.bsky.social newrepublic.com/article/2029...
"I’ve been impressed with Van Hollen's moral clarity on key issues," says @rokhanna.bsky.social, when I asked him who should replace Schumer. newrepublic.com/article/2029...
Transcript: Ro Khanna Says Schumer Must Resign In Wake of Budget Deal
Khanna says that the capitulation by Senate Democrats is a “moral surrender.”
newrepublic.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:16 PM
"I’ve been impressed with Van Hollen's moral clarity on key issues," says @rokhanna.bsky.social, when I asked him who should replace Schumer. newrepublic.com/article/2029...
Abigail "Nobody elected him to be FDR" Spanberger is now an even more prominent figure in the party. And that is likely bad news for those wanting the Dems to change, as my colleague @alexshephard.bsky.social explains here. newrepublic.com/article/2029...
November 11, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Abigail "Nobody elected him to be FDR" Spanberger is now an even more prominent figure in the party. And that is likely bad news for those wanting the Dems to change, as my colleague @alexshephard.bsky.social explains here. newrepublic.com/article/2029...
"The issue with the shutdown strategy was it relied on Democrats having political will that they do not currently have. It required them to take risks and be uncomfortable," says @alexshephard.bsky.social. newrepublic.com/article/2029...
Transcript: The Dems Blinked, and That Will Embolden Trump
TNR’s Monica Potts and Alex Shephard say the Democrats’ decision to cut a deal and end the shutdown was stupid but not surprising.
newrepublic.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:57 PM
"The issue with the shutdown strategy was it relied on Democrats having political will that they do not currently have. It required them to take risks and be uncomfortable," says @alexshephard.bsky.social. newrepublic.com/article/2029...
"Part of the strategy was Spanberger using the political capital that Virginia voters gave her to throw her party under the bus. That's the kind of person she has shown herself to be, somebody who takes grassroots energy and dulls it," says @alexshephard.bsky.social. newrepublic.com/article/2029...
Transcript: The Dems Blinked, and That Will Embolden Trump
TNR’s Monica Potts and Alex Shephard say the Democrats’ decision to cut a deal and end the shutdown was stupid but not surprising.
newrepublic.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:53 PM
"Part of the strategy was Spanberger using the political capital that Virginia voters gave her to throw her party under the bus. That's the kind of person she has shown herself to be, somebody who takes grassroots energy and dulls it," says @alexshephard.bsky.social. newrepublic.com/article/2029...
Was last week about voters specifically hating Trump's presidency-or voters these days always backlashing against the president's party? I hope the former, but worry it's the latter. I explained a EHTP (Everyone Hates the president) view of politics here. newrepublic.com/article/2029...
November 11, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Was last week about voters specifically hating Trump's presidency-or voters these days always backlashing against the president's party? I hope the former, but worry it's the latter. I explained a EHTP (Everyone Hates the president) view of politics here. newrepublic.com/article/2029...
Reposted by Perry Bacon
The latest capitulation by Senate Democrats is another sign that the party needs new leadership. newrepublic.com/article/2029...
@rokhanna.bsky.social on Right Now With @perrybaconjr.bsky.social
@rokhanna.bsky.social on Right Now With @perrybaconjr.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 5:30 PM
The latest capitulation by Senate Democrats is another sign that the party needs new leadership. newrepublic.com/article/2029...
@rokhanna.bsky.social on Right Now With @perrybaconjr.bsky.social
@rokhanna.bsky.social on Right Now With @perrybaconjr.bsky.social
Reposted by Perry Bacon
I skipped this article for a while because I figured I'd read enough about the NYT's Mamdani coverage. I don't want to say the headline does the article a disservice - it is also very much about that - but goes well beyond as well
This is fucking brilliant, and you should read it: lithub.com/maybe-dont-t...
Maybe Don’t Talk to the New York Times About Zohran Mamdani
It’s remarkable, the people you’ll hear from. Teach for even a little while at an expensive institution—the term they tend to prefer is “elite”—and odds are that eventually someone who was a studen…
lithub.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:13 AM
I skipped this article for a while because I figured I'd read enough about the NYT's Mamdani coverage. I don't want to say the headline does the article a disservice - it is also very much about that - but goes well beyond as well
Reposted by Perry Bacon
The more we learn about Zohran Mamdani's upbringing, the clearer it becomes that he owes everything to his connected, well-to-do parents.
by A.G. Sulzberger, Andrew Cuomo, Bill Ackman, and Donald Trump, Jr.
by A.G. Sulzberger, Andrew Cuomo, Bill Ackman, and Donald Trump, Jr.
November 9, 2025 at 12:16 AM
The more we learn about Zohran Mamdani's upbringing, the clearer it becomes that he owes everything to his connected, well-to-do parents.
by A.G. Sulzberger, Andrew Cuomo, Bill Ackman, and Donald Trump, Jr.
by A.G. Sulzberger, Andrew Cuomo, Bill Ackman, and Donald Trump, Jr.
Reposted by Perry Bacon
every time you think the new WaPo editorial board can't embarrass itself any more, they manage to find a way.
Left: 'Texas gerrymandering is no big deal!', from August.
Right: 'Maryland gerrymandering is an affront to Western civilization!', from today.
Left: 'Texas gerrymandering is no big deal!', from August.
Right: 'Maryland gerrymandering is an affront to Western civilization!', from today.
November 7, 2025 at 6:25 PM
every time you think the new WaPo editorial board can't embarrass itself any more, they manage to find a way.
Left: 'Texas gerrymandering is no big deal!', from August.
Right: 'Maryland gerrymandering is an affront to Western civilization!', from today.
Left: 'Texas gerrymandering is no big deal!', from August.
Right: 'Maryland gerrymandering is an affront to Western civilization!', from today.
Reposted by Perry Bacon
Okay, fair enough. I remember when all the Very Smart Political Science Pundits were announcing that the main determining factor in 2022 would be gas prices and you were a fool to think otherwise. They all decided at the same time and then dropped it instantly post-election.
If you're looking to mainstream pundits for any sort of actual critical analysis instead of mindless contagion chicken squawking you already done goofed
November 7, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Okay, fair enough. I remember when all the Very Smart Political Science Pundits were announcing that the main determining factor in 2022 would be gas prices and you were a fool to think otherwise. They all decided at the same time and then dropped it instantly post-election.
I might say reactionary centrism but same idea.
November 6, 2025 at 4:14 PM
I might say reactionary centrism but same idea.
Yes.
November 6, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Yes.
Reposted by Perry Bacon
Women should have jobs, but Ross Douthat shouldn’t.
November 6, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Women should have jobs, but Ross Douthat shouldn’t.
Reposted by Perry Bacon
It’s so goofy to think of this as a news publication rather than a propaganda/marketing site
The Free Press' front page is four articles of MANDAMI PANIC, a Dick Cheney nostalgia essay, and one of the richest people in the world writing about why he gave $100 million to Bari Weiss' unaccredited anti-woke college.
November 6, 2025 at 1:22 AM
It’s so goofy to think of this as a news publication rather than a propaganda/marketing site
"People just want to know: Are you on the take? Are you taking this corporate money or not? Are you going to fight for me? Are you going to stand up against the status quo and the oligarchs? The people that are able to have one-word answers to those questions are able to command those crowds."
November 5, 2025 at 8:21 PM
"People just want to know: Are you on the take? Are you taking this corporate money or not? Are you going to fight for me? Are you going to stand up against the status quo and the oligarchs? The people that are able to have one-word answers to those questions are able to command those crowds."
"There is a hunger for a third space in American politics anchored to the interest of everyday people, labor unions, grassroots organizations, and activists coming from the grassroots," says @mauricewfp.bsky.social, explaining how Mamdani built his coalition. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLyc...
November 5, 2025 at 8:14 PM
"There is a hunger for a third space in American politics anchored to the interest of everyday people, labor unions, grassroots organizations, and activists coming from the grassroots," says @mauricewfp.bsky.social, explaining how Mamdani built his coalition. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLyc...
Reposted by Perry Bacon
There are two lessons from last noght, a local and a national. Nationwide, we see a mobilization of the Dem base and a rebuke of Trump’s vision. In New York—really a Dem-on-Dem race!—we see something more specific: the emergence of a new vision that contradicts the preferences of Dem leadership.
"Mamdani’s victory, above all, is a rebuke to the conventional strategies of the Democratic party. Democratic congressional leadership seems to have replaced the work of politics with a sort of learned helplessness," writes @moiradonegan.bsky.social. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Mamdani’s victory is a rebuke to the failed strategies of the Democratic party | Moira Donegan
The Democratic party appears listless and unprincipled, unwilling to fight because they do not believe in anything. Zohran Mamdani is the opposite of this
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:07 PM
There are two lessons from last noght, a local and a national. Nationwide, we see a mobilization of the Dem base and a rebuke of Trump’s vision. In New York—really a Dem-on-Dem race!—we see something more specific: the emergence of a new vision that contradicts the preferences of Dem leadership.
Reposted by Perry Bacon
Note to all the Democratic politicians with aspirations who are coming out with statements, emails congratulating Democrats across the country for their well deserved victories but leaving out a big name from NYC - we see what you are doing. It's petty, pathetic and we will remember.
New Jersey and Virginia have chosen well by electing
@mikiesherrill.bsky.social and @spanbergerforva.bsky.social as their next governors!
They are proven leaders who won by focusing on what matters most - how politics and policy can make everyday life better and more affordable.
@mikiesherrill.bsky.social and @spanbergerforva.bsky.social as their next governors!
They are proven leaders who won by focusing on what matters most - how politics and policy can make everyday life better and more affordable.
November 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Note to all the Democratic politicians with aspirations who are coming out with statements, emails congratulating Democrats across the country for their well deserved victories but leaving out a big name from NYC - we see what you are doing. It's petty, pathetic and we will remember.
"Mamdani’s victory, above all, is a rebuke to the conventional strategies of the Democratic party. Democratic congressional leadership seems to have replaced the work of politics with a sort of learned helplessness," writes @moiradonegan.bsky.social. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Mamdani’s victory is a rebuke to the failed strategies of the Democratic party | Moira Donegan
The Democratic party appears listless and unprincipled, unwilling to fight because they do not believe in anything. Zohran Mamdani is the opposite of this
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:22 PM
"Mamdani’s victory, above all, is a rebuke to the conventional strategies of the Democratic party. Democratic congressional leadership seems to have replaced the work of politics with a sort of learned helplessness," writes @moiradonegan.bsky.social. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
"Mamdani is not a warning shot; he is a sign of things to come. Dem voters everywhere want transformative change. They’re furious at party’s leaders and suspicious of candidates backed by an establishment that gets everything wrong," writes @alexshephard.bsky.social. newrepublic.com/article/2027...
The Democratic Tea Party Is Here
The party’s base is energized and mad as hell. And their rage isn’t just aimed at Donald Trump.
newrepublic.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:13 PM
"Mamdani is not a warning shot; he is a sign of things to come. Dem voters everywhere want transformative change. They’re furious at party’s leaders and suspicious of candidates backed by an establishment that gets everything wrong," writes @alexshephard.bsky.social. newrepublic.com/article/2027...
Reposted by Perry Bacon
so what you're saying is the centrist brunchlord substack punditry's claims that Dems have to shift further right to win is complete bullshit
November 5, 2025 at 1:05 PM
so what you're saying is the centrist brunchlord substack punditry's claims that Dems have to shift further right to win is complete bullshit
Reposted by Perry Bacon
like yes, a lot of this is just pendulum swing and fascism driving turnout but it's still just foundationally false that dems need to shift right (stop supporting trans people, embrace mindless corporate deregulation to spark "abundance," back off civil rights) to win. It's bullshit.
November 5, 2025 at 2:33 PM
like yes, a lot of this is just pendulum swing and fascism driving turnout but it's still just foundationally false that dems need to shift right (stop supporting trans people, embrace mindless corporate deregulation to spark "abundance," back off civil rights) to win. It's bullshit.
Nov 5, 2024 was terrible. But it's not Nov 2024 anymore. Trump is much more unpopular. He, not Biden, is getting blamed for affordability challenges. Democratic voters are much more activated. The "racial realignment" didn't even last a year. newrepublic.com/article/2026...
Hey, Uh, Democrats, Can You Finally Please Stop Fighting Over 2024?
Last night showed that the party is far from doomed—and the country is simply not as conservative as it seemed in November 2024.
newrepublic.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Nov 5, 2024 was terrible. But it's not Nov 2024 anymore. Trump is much more unpopular. He, not Biden, is getting blamed for affordability challenges. Democratic voters are much more activated. The "racial realignment" didn't even last a year. newrepublic.com/article/2026...
Reposted by Perry Bacon
Big win for wokeness.
November 5, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Big win for wokeness.