Juana Summers
Appearances
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
Heckling a president during a speech isn't new. What was unprecedented Tuesday night as President Trump addressed the nation in a joint session of Congress was a lawmaker being escorted out for such heckling. We won the popular vote by big numbers and won counties in our country.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
For their response to Trump's address, Democrats chose a senator who won last November in a state that Trump carried. Alyssa Slotkin is a centrist from Michigan. She framed Trump's agenda as an attack on the middle class.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
But she also said Republicans and Democrats should work together to fix America's immigration system. She cited Ronald Reagan approvingly. And even agreed with Trump that the government should run more efficiently, though she strongly criticized his, quote, chaotic approach. It was a speech aimed squarely at moderates.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
Consider this. Democratic moderates think they have an answer for Trump 2.0. What does their playbook look like? From NPR, I'm Juana Summers.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
Texas Democratic Representative Al Green stood up after Trump said voters gave them a mandate when they elected him last fall. Green waved his cane as he yelled at the president. You don't have a mandate to cut Medicaid. House Speaker Mike Johnson gave warnings.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
The End It's Consider This from NPR. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries acknowledged last month that Democrats don't have much power.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
So as they think about how to try to push back on Trump, Democrats are also thinking about how to win the next election. What's the case they want to make? That's a question that Matt Bennett and his fellow moderate Democrats tried to answer at a recent retreat. Bennett is the executive vice president for public affairs at Third Way. That's a centrist Democratic think tank.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
When I spoke to him earlier today, I asked him if he thought that Democrats' protests during the joint address were effective.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
I want to turn now to the retreat that you helped organize in February. You got a group of moderate Democrats together for a day and a half. And I understand that was a group that included some elected officials, consultants, folks who worked on campaigns and a couple of words. What was the vibe like?
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
Give us a sampling of what some of those conversations were like among you and your fellow Democrats.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
I've heard you say several times that your party appears to have lost the battle for reasonableness. How does it win it back?
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
And when that didn't work, Green was removed from the House chamber.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
At the same time, we have noted that you come from a more moderate perspective. There are progressives in your party who might disagree with some of what you've said. I want to play you a cut of tape. It is from Virginia's Democratic Senator Tim Kaine. He spoke to my colleague Michelle Martin this morning.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
Matt Bennett, it's sort of a funny line, but I do kind of wonder, can the party marshal the discipline to reach out to voters with a unified message?
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
That was Matt Bennett. He's the executive vice president for public affairs at Third Way. Matt, thank you.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
This was one of several ways Democrats protested the president's speech last night. They also held signs throughout the speech with phrases like that's a lie or Musk steals. Many wore pink to try to make a statement. Some walked out during the speech. Others skipped the event altogether.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
This episode was produced by Alejandra Marquez-Hance, Connor Donovan, and Jeffrey Pierre. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sammy Yenigan. It's Consider This from NPR. I'm Juana Summers.
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
This has been some Democrats approach to Trump's first six weeks in office as he's aimed to slash the federal workforce, tested the separation of powers and reshaped the global order. Democrats don't control any of the levers of power, so they protest. But we also saw a different approach Tuesday night.