NY Times editorial declares Democratic Party in denial about 2024 election loss, says it moved 'too far left'

The New York Times Editorial Board thinks the Democratic Party needs a serious wake-up call.

"As comforting as these explanations may feel to Democrats, they are a form of denial that will make it harder for the Democratic Party to win future elections," the board said in the Saturday piece.

The title of the editorial flatly declared, "The Democrats Are in Denial About 2024." 

The NYT editorial board hammered "many party leaders" who have "decided that they do not need to make significant changes to their policies or their message" following their "comprehensive defeat." 

According to the outlet, the party has turned to a "convenient explanation for their plight," namely that forces beyond its control, like "postpandemic inflation" hurt its chances, as well as the fact that they just need to message better. "If Democrats could only communicate better, particularly on social media and podcasts, the party would be fine," the board stated, summarizing part of their denial.

The board followed up by citing each of those examples as evidence the party is in denial, and warned that the whole country, even conservatives should be concerned about it. 

"The country needs two healthy political parties. It especially needs a healthy Democratic Party, given Mr. Trump's takeover of the Republican Party and his draconian behavior. Restraining him - and any successors who continue his policies - depends on Democrats taking an honest look at their problems."

The board admitted there is some truth to inflation hurting the incumbent party in the U.S., as it did in other countries irrespective of political parties. "Whether on the political right or left, ruling parties lost power in the United States, Brazil, Britain, Germany and Italy," it wrote.

Still, the board mentioned that "incumbent parties managed to win re-election, including in Denmark, France, India, Japan, Mexico and Spain. A healthier Democratic Party could have joined them last year."

It then debunked Walz's voter turnout point, saying, "Nonvoters appear to have favored Mr. Trump by an even wider margin than voters." 

After hammering the Democratic Party, the board offered advice on how it can rise from the defeat, beginning with "more rigorous and less wishful reflection." It then gave specific steps for regaining voters' trust, the first one being, "they should admit that their party mishandled Mr. Biden's age."

"Second, Democrats should recognize that the party moved too far left on social issues after Barack Obama left office in 2017," it said, adding that the third step is that "the party has to offer new ideas." The board said former Vice President Kamala Harris "failed" to offer any new ideas in her presidential bid, and that "few Democrats are doing so today."