During a Saturday appearance on Cats Roundtable on WABC 770 AM, former New York Gov. David Patterson (D) emphasized that the Democratic Party must improve its efforts in “listening” to the concerns of voters.
Patterson explained, “We need to discard the current information and begin actively engaging with the people, truly hearing them, instead of just lecturing. This is something the party has fallen into too often.”
He criticized Vice President Harris’s speech at Howard University, which he felt was more of a “graduation speech” than a concession. Reflecting on Harris’s delayed concession, Patterson said, “I would’ve delivered it the same night, right after your supporters gave their energy to you.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom takes proactive steps with new policies as Trump gears up for a second term
Instead, it came the next afternoon.” He added that the speech itself lacked the tone of a concession, likening it to a speech given at a graduation, where topics like “solving the problems of tomorrow” were mentioned.
Exit polls have pointed out a disconnect between Harris’s message and the public’s reception of it. Patterson commented, “She’s very intelligent, but there’s a clear communication gap. When she addresses these issues, they just don’t resonate with the public.”
Meanwhile, governors like California’s Gavin Newsom are anticipating President-elect Trump’s second term by implementing new statewide policies and protections. Trump criticized Newsom’s special legislative meeting and has sought support from fellow Republicans, including former Illinois Gov. JP Pritzker.
Patterson believes that the incoming president will be in a unique position of power during his next term, urging Trump to govern “judiciously.” “The president now has a tremendous opportunity with the support of both the House and Senate, as well as the Supreme Court.
I don’t think any president has ever held such power. I hope he uses it wisely,” Patterson said. “If he does, we may find ourselves in a few years thinking, ‘Things really aren’t that bad.’”
