A simple question: Who is the leader of the Democratic Party? Who is leading the opposition to this nightmare?

[Doodley]

[NoRethugFriends]

1. AOC and Bernie, though he's not specifically a member.

[ananda]

6. And Jasmine Crockett is a fighter too!

But we need all of them to be.

[Silent Type]

2. Don't think we have a true leader right now, but better find one soon.

[enough]

30. Or maybe this is the perfect time to encourage and nurture many leaders.

The next election is not about the “leader” of the party. It’s about many candidates coming out with passion to get elected in many different places.

[Dorian Gray]

33. Jon Ossoff

has been saying some pretty wonderful things lately. He's one to look at.

Pete B. and AOC have bene making rounds.

Up and comers: Wes Moore and Abby Spanberger.

Josh Shapiro, Jared Polis, Ruben Gallego are all messengers

[usaf-vet]

80. ABSOLUTELY! I want to see his name on a national ticket someday!

[yellow dahlia]

35. Yes - all hands on deck.

They need to bring all the stengths and play to the strength of each.

[Trust_Reality]

78. Yes, many leaders. Especially local leaders. We the people.

Rachel recently pointed to "heroes" everywhere, doing small things, But doing things.

There seems to be quite a lot of grass roots activity throughout the country. All of that activity can congeal when the time comes.

And, of course we are seeing more and more people speaking out. I love what Bernie is doing. I donate to AOC from Colorado.

Also, the right wing machine will attack early and often as soon as they can identify a potential national leader.

[Frasier Balzov]

3. Put someone forward and I'll help carry them on my shoulders.

[brush]

4. Well it sure ain't Schumer. He never should've voted for the CR.

He won't be re-elected as Minority Leader. He may even be primaried.

[EarthFirst]

5. "The midterm elections..." nt

[elocs]

22. Are you certain sure that there will be free, fair, & unrigged midterms? I'm not. n/t

[yellow dahlia]

36. I ask the same question...ad nauseum.

[Nonnia Bisnez]

7. In the 60's

civil rights groups came together for planning purposes. It was generally agreed that MLK was the leader. Civil rights groups exhibited an amazing degree of discipline, planning, training, and solidarity. Why can't Democratic groups do this today?

[pinkstarburst]

8. AOC, Bernie, Pete Buttigieg, Jasmine Crockett, Walz

[Greybnk48]

75. Add Eric Swalwell to this list! He's as awesome as the rest of them! Include Jon Ossoff as well. n/t

Bernie Sanders (of course), AOC, Pete Buttigieg, Tim Walz, Jasmine Crockett, Eric Swalwell, and Jon Ossoff.

Maxine Waters just came up with a new name for the acronym DOGE: "Department of Greed and Evil." I love her too!

[pinkstarburst]

82. I really like Eric Swalwell too!

[dalton99a]

9. God or a reasonable facsimile thereof

[madville]

10. Harris is certainly MIA

Has made like one appearance in months, other than that silence. Meanwhile Waltz is all over the place raising awareness and fighting.

I’m sure she’s gonna run for California governor in 2026, she wouldn’t win the 2028 primary regardless so that’s her best option politically. Fighting against the current disaster certainly wouldn’t hurt her prospects for California Governor, but who knows.

[Alice B.]

13. Though just this morning, I got an email from her asking for $5 for the DNC.

She is "counting on Democrats who understand how important this moment is to contribute to the DNC..."

[Dorian Gray]

34. She's not in office and he's Minnesota Gov still

So it makes sense he's responding. But her absence is telling. Sadly.

[madville]

37. I think the opposite

She has much more time than he does to be out there responding, he’s working two fulfilling two full time roles to her zero.

[Dorian Gray]

47. She's got the time

but she's not feeling "the incentive." Which is a problem, and we've got to move on from her.

[yardwork]

67. I hate to say this, but she's probably been told to stay silent.

[Rebl2]

77. I think

she should lay low for now. If she was out there giving speeches, protesting what trump and his goons are doing, he would just attack her, and I would not put it past trump to have her arrested.

[W_HAMILTON]

11. There isn't one -- there are many.

[LessAspin]

12. Justin Trudeau

🇨🇦 Future President of North America 🇺🇲

[Meowmee]

50. lol 😁

[thought crime]

53. I see what you did there. /nt

[Emile]

14. I hope it's someone other than Schumer.

[canetoad]

15. An Aussie academic asked the same thing recently

And called your lack of a dedicated Leader of the Opposition an 'infirmity in the American system.;

Post and article here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220132599

[Midwestern Democrat]

43. We don't have a parliamentary system - we're never going to have anything like "the alternative Prime Minister".

When not holding the White House, the closest we've had to that - and it's nowhere close to it - is the Speaker of the House/House Minority Leader, Senate Majority/Minority Leader, and a few nationally famous, powerful Senators.

[canetoad]

45. Why not?

I'm well aware of your system (btw what on earth is an alternative prime minister?). Can you not see how the lack of a single, strong voice speaking on behalf of and with the full support of Democrats would be hindering you in the battle for American Democracy?

[Doodley]

64. 100%

[Doodley]

63. We need a leader more than ever. We need a voice that will be heard, that will not be drowned out by Trump's domination

of the news.

[JI7]

16. What do you need a specific leader for ?

There are many Democrats saying and doing things. Follow those you want or do your own thing.

There won't be a leader until we get a presidential nominee and we have important elections before we can get to that.

[Doodley]

24. You do realize that Democrats are polling worse than Republicans? Voters want leadership.

[Skittles]

44. because Dems are always expected to clean up repuke mess

some things never change

[Scrivener7]

29. The effort needs to be coordinated.

[JI7]

38. I can't see that happening . We have never been able to do that

with one person leading.

People just have to do what they can.

Like what has happened with the Tesla boycott.

[Scrivener7]

46. We have never been on the brink of losing our Democracy either.

We need coordinated effort against them.

I will never understand this shrugging of the shoulders about our elected leaders not leading us in a coordinated opposition at a time when we are about to lose everything and become some bizarre aggressor state when no one wants any of that.

[DFW]

55. We most definitely HAVE done that with one person leading

Howard Dean was elected DNC chairman after the 2004 election. He took that job more seriously (and did a far better job) than any party chair since then. Under his tireless leadership, we took back the Senate, the House, and then the White House.

Howard will be 77 in November, and he is not interested in doing it again (it was exhausting work), but he is quite willing to lend his expertise and his advice if someone is willing to listen. I hope Jon Ossoff keeps his Senate seat next year, but if he doesn’t, he might be ideal for party leader. He is young, eloquent, energetic, and probably has the highest IQ of any senator.

Several years ago, a friend of mine was running for a statewide position in a red state. I told him he should talk to Howard. He said he’d love to, but had no idea how to contact Howard Dean. I said “here’s how,” pulled out my phone, dialed Howard and handed him the phone. I don’t know what was said, but they talked for half an hour, and my friend won his race, the only Democrat to win a state-wide race in his state that year.

A DNC chairman has to understand that in a time when we do not hold the White House, the chairmanship of the DNC is not a ceremonial post. It’s WAY more than doing 3 minute segments on CNN or MSNBC. It is not a prestige or glamor job. It is constant work, travel, meetings late into the night, and little sleep. Howard was the last one in that position who had both the smarts AND the willingness to give it the amount of time and effort required to get results. If we can find someone else like him, we can do it again, too, and this time, we have the advantage of Howard’s been-there-done-that expertise to guide the next person willing to put in the time and effort.

[JohnnyLib2]

32. Agreed.

Thinking back to previous Republican administrations, I can only come up with emerging leaders and groundswells of support for certain positions. Perhaps being the "loyal opposition" party doesn't or can't come with a leader.

[Doodley]

65. When Trump is still polling 47.8 (RCP average) we should know that we aren't getting through to voters. A strong leader

is needed to break through so people understand what is happening to our nation.

[betsuni]

17. The Democratic Party is a very diverse big tent, it's America, the American people.

If change comes locally, from the bottom up, what's all the obsession with one national leader who is supposed to tell everyone what to do and followed? Wrong party. There are many voices, many representatives of diverse places in a very large country opposing Trump. And when there IS a leader, a Democratic president, it's all criticism and whining anyway.

[Doodley]

27. This isn't the time for passivity. Leadership has never been more important than right now.

[betsuni]

39. I don't see passivity. I do see passive-aggressive yelling rallies praised as doing something but

it's only angrily yelling the same old laundry list of U.S. problems without solutions, as if it's a moral problem you can fix with a pure fighting spirit, same old lies about Democrats ignoring the working class. That's what bugs me, not that Democrats haven't fixed everything in two months.

The obsession with leadership is just the latest way to bash Democrats passive-aggressively, in my opinion.

[Doodley]

66. It's about communicating what is happening to America, about being heard. Most people still haven't got a clue what

Trump is doing. He's at 47.8% (RCP) and Democrats have had the lowest polling ever. We need a strong voice.

[Ninga]

76. Except. It was the same ole laundry list yelling

I did in the 1970s at Vietnam War protests. 🪧 Over and over. We must not stop taking to the streets.

[betsuni]

79. Yes, the people should. I'm talking about leaders getting their followers worked up against the Democratic Party

by reciting the list but offering no realistic plans or ideas of how to fix them (like Trump), just that both sides are corrupt and controlled by oligarchs and the answer is simply to elect the morally pure who everyone will listen to and everything magically solved.

Makes it seem so easy that people get angry and blame Democrats for "doing nothing" "not stopping/allowing all the bad things" and it cynically depresses protesting against the actual enemy who actually caused the problems in the first place.

[elocs]

28. Democrats: We're like herding cats. We are great at whining though.

Nothing seems to be good enough for us. Ever. It's either too much of this or not enough of that. I've been a Democrat for over 50 years now and have voted exclusively for Democrats, but...
"I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat". Will Rogers

[Doodley]

68. Our country is being destroyed and Trump is polling way better than Democrats. We need to be organized. We may only

have one chance to save America. Let's not blow it.

[boston bean]

18. We the people.

[In It to Win It]

19. Nobody ☺️

[mainer]

20. Tim Walz

He is taking it to the road and connecting with people.

[elocs]

21. "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat". Will Rogers n/t

[Doodley]

25. We had better get organized to make a strong case against what is happening to our nation.

[usonian]

23. Bernie (I), AOC, and Tim Walz are high visibility.

Last edited Sat Mar 29, 2025, 09:34 PM - Edit history (1)

Bernie is saying what we believe and too many others aren't.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220186932

More high profile people speaking out, the quicker and bigger the momentum we build.

That's why a big battery pack beats a "D" cell.



My cub scout pack had more leaders.

[Doodley]

69. I agree. They are really stepping up and showing leadership.

[Tree Lady]

26. My senator Wyden from Oregon is fighting

pretty hard on the financial committee. He is also the one who refused to go to State of the union speech and had town hall with thousands instead.

[qazplm135]

31. There's almost never a leader

For the party out of power right after a presidential election. Particularly when they aren't in control of the House or Senate.

Trump was an outlier because he is their party now.

But Republicans didn't really have one in 09. Dems didn't really have one in 05 or 01. Pelosi probably was in 17.

We won't likely truly get one until after the nomination fight in 28 unless we win the House in 26, which we almost assuredly will, and then the Speaker would nominally be it.

[DFW]

56. Dems really got one in 2005.

That was Howard Dean, whose 50 State strategy brought us back the House, the Senate and the presidency four years after having none of them.

It was exhausting work, and at almost age 77, he’s not interested in doing it again, but he is available to coach anyone willing to put in the time and effort.

[qazplm135]

57. He certainly helped the party

But he wasn't leading it.

[DFW]

58. I feel otherwise

He took over the reins of a rudderless, demoralized Democratic Party and led a practically nonstop campaign to turn our fortunes around. He was everywhere, doing backroom meetings as well as the rallies and talk shows. Howard was both the face of the party as well as its voice. He didn’t stop until his mission really did get accomplished. Without his efforts, there never would have been an Obama candidacy. His hands-off refereeing ensured that the Clinton-Obama rivalry for the nomination didn’t derail the party’s trajectory to the White House. It might not have worked with the “lookit me!” Sanders campaign of 2016, but it was the perfect tactic in 2008.

[qazplm135]

62. Again he helped the party

But he wasn't the leader of the party directing policies or the one face of the party.

Most of his work was behind the scenes.

[Doodley]

70. The most important thing is to have somebody who the media will give airtime to, who can effectively communicate to

the nation what is happening to our nation, because most people haven't got a clue.

[question everything]

40. Sanders is NOT a Democrat! If this is the best we can do then we really are in trouble

[PunkinPi]

59. He's literally out there encouraging people to run as independents, rather than as Dems...

how does that help the Democratic party? (I'm asking rhetorically.)

[betsuni]

41. And the days when everyone gathered around the radio or TV and heard/saw the same thing are over.

[Kaleva]

42. Who did you vote for to be Party Leader?

Did that person win or was it another candidate?

[Autumn]

48. Bernie, AOC and Tim Walz are out there kicking ass damn near everyday. nt

[andym]

49. Chris Murphy has been vocal and has been presenting a vision for the future

For example,
See this interview in the Atlantic:
We Are Sleepwalking Into Autocracy - Chris Murphy in New Yorker
https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/senator-chris-murphy-this-is-how-democracy-dies-everybody-just-gets-scared

[TomSlick]

51. That's the thing about Democrats. We are slow to embrace a single leader.

The rush to embrace a single leader leads to cults like the current GOP. We may fall in love but we will not fall in line.

[stillcool]

52. My representatives that I voted for

have a (D) next to their name. How do they get to be "leaders"? Can anyone be one?

[Mountainguy]

54. Still very much undecided

Plenty to people trying to jockey for position, but there clearly isn't anyone who has taken hold of it so far.

[maxrandb]

60. Well, you could STOP LOOKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO LEAD

We have the power! You have the power!

I don't need someone else to tell me this is an authoritarian shitshow that demands my resistance, effort and hard work.

The Democratic Party can't do a God Damned thing, unless and until we give them the requisite power to do a God Damned thing.

It's why I have never, and don't give a fuck about the fucking government shutdown vote.

If enough of "us" get together in a sustained effort to shut this shit down...IT WILL FUCKING SHUT DOWN!

I, for one, am fucking tired of being told I need someone, or something else to fucking lead and fight for me.

[Doodley]

71. Trump has 47.8% support (RCP average). What does that tell you about our ability to communicate with the publc?

[maxrandb]

74. It tells me NOTHING!

At one time, a majority supported slavery, segregation, women being unable to vote...a lot of despicable stuff.

It wasn't "messaging", or Facebook, or podcasts that changed that. It was sustained action by the American people.

My God! People seem to think that what we "really" need to do, is find some attractive (in a 3AM at White Castle kind of attractive way) social media influencers, have them hike up their skirts, or put on a wife-beater T-shirt, and talk about their handjob/blowout preferences on Tic-Toc, and the message of compassion, empathy, justice, fairness and democracy will win out.

If that is where we are. If that is what wrong. If it's "messaging". Then somebody needs to explain to me what's worth fighting for?

[ecstatic]

61. We have too many factions

This has been a problem for a long time, but now it's even worse with a lot of former republicans under the tent now as well.

That said, leading the opposition shouldn't be rocket science and doesn't necessarily have to involve specific policies other than an opposition to trump's disastrous policies.

So there's two aspects: strategy and execution. Unfortunately, due to the disposition of many of us on the left, the message has to be articulated by a somewhat new messenger (who doesn't have a lot of existing baggage).

Pete Buttigieg is one of the most articulate and thoughtful minds we have in our party today, so he definitely needs to be involved in the strategy part. As far as the communicator, Gavin Newsom would have been good but he's starting to accumulate a ton of baggage.

I suggest Jon Ossoff. He's an excellent communicator who can get straight to the point, and he has an election coming up.

[Doodley]

73. leadership is about action, not position. These are excellent speakers.

[madinmaryland]

72. Lee M Mercer.

[Ping Tung]

81. I don't follow "leaders". But, I will usually support the candidates who I consider the most decent and humane.

One leader, one people, signifies one master and millions of slaves.
Albert Camus