A year ago, political commentator Jon Chait confidently declared that centrists were winning the battle for the soul of the Democratic Party. He argued that the party’s moderate wing, embodied by candidates like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, would ultimately prevail over the progressive left. Fast forward to today, and Chait’s tune has dramatically changed. In the wake of Harris dropping out of the presidential race, he has shifted the blame for her failure onto the left’s supposed obsession with transgender rights. But is Chait simply falling for Trump’s demagoguery, or is there some truth to his argument?
Let’s start by examining Chait’s initial assertion that centrists were on the rise within the Democratic Party. It’s true that in the early stages of the 2020 primary race, candidates like Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, and Amy Klobuchar were leading in the polls. But as the campaign unfolded, it became clear that the progressive wing of the party, led by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, was gaining momentum. This was reflected not only in the polls but also in the policy proposals put forth by these candidates, which embraced bold, progressive ideas like Medicare for All and free college tuition.
Despite this shift, Chait continued to argue that centrists were still the key to victory for Democrats. He pointed to Biden’s rise in the polls and argued that his moderate policies would be more appealing to the general electorate. However, this argument was quickly debunked when Biden’s support began to decline and Warren and Sanders continued to gain ground. It became clear that the party’s base was hungry for bold, progressive change, and centrism was not the winning formula Chait had predicted.
But where Chait’s argument really falls apart is in his recent piece for The Intercept, in which he blames the left’s supposed focus on transgender rights for Kamala Harris’ failure to gain traction in the primary race. He argues that Harris’ support for transgender rights, specifically her pledge to have a transgender person represent the Department of Education, was too radical for the majority of voters. However, this is a gross mischaracterization of Harris’ stance on the issue.
First of all, Harris’ support for transgender rights is not a new or radical position. In fact, her support for the Equality Act, which would provide federal protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, dates back to her time as Attorney General of California. It’s also worth noting that the majority of Americans support transgender rights, including the right for transgender individuals to use the bathroom of their choice. So it’s hard to argue that Harris’ stance on this issue is out of touch with the majority of voters.
Furthermore, Harris’ failure to gain traction in the primary race cannot be attributed solely to her support for transgender rights. She faced a number of challenges, including a crowded field of candidates, a lack of clear messaging, and a struggle to define her policy positions. To blame her struggles on a supposed obsession with transgender rights is not only inaccurate but also harmful.
Chait’s argument also plays into a dangerous narrative perpetuated by the Trump administration and conservatives. Transgender rights have become a favorite target of the right, with the Trump administration rolling back protections for trans individuals and attempting to ban them from serving in the military. By echoing this rhetoric, Chait is giving credence to the idea that transgender rights are somehow a fringe issue and not worthy of attention. This only serves to further marginalize a vulnerable community and ignores the fact that trans rights are human rights.
It’s also worth noting that Chait’s argument is not only flawed but also harmful to the Democratic Party as a whole. By pitting the moderate and progressive wings against each other, he is only playing into the hands of Republicans who are eager to exploit any division within the party. The truth is, the Democratic Party is a big tent with room for both moderates and progressives. It’s this diversity of thought and ideas that makes the party strong and gives it the ability to appeal to a broad range of voters.
In the end, Chait’s claim that Harris went too far left is simply unfounded. It’s a convenient excuse for those who refuse to acknowledge the shifting tides within the Democratic Party and the country as a whole. It’s also a harmful narrative that only serves to perpetuate division and undermine the progress that the party has made. Instead of falling for Trump’s demagoguery, we should be focusing on uniting as
