Democratic strategist James Carville delivers a candid assessment of language choices that may have influenced Vice President Harris's defeat in the November election.
According to The Hill, Carville criticized what he termed "NPR language" during an interview on the outlet's "Rising" program, suggesting that while Harris avoided such terminology during her campaign, the Democratic Party's previous use of certain phrases left a lasting negative impression on voters.
The veteran political consultant emphasized that Harris deliberately distanced herself from controversial language during her campaign, pointing to her tough stance on home invasion as an example of her departure from traditionally progressive rhetoric. He noted that despite her efforts to maintain moderate messaging, the impact of previous Democratic messaging continued to resonate with voters.
Carville specifically highlighted phrases like "Defund the police" and "Latinx" as examples of language that created enduring negative associations for voters. The political strategist expressed particular frustration with the "Defund the police" slogan, which he condemned in strong terms during the interview.
Carville said:
What you look for with politics revolves around things we call sticky, things that you remember, like 'Defund the police,' three stupidest words in the history of the English language. But it stuck.
The strategist's criticism extended to what he perceived as disconnected terminology used by some Democrats when addressing minority communities. He illustrated this point with a hypothetical scenario highlighting the disconnect between academic language and everyday communication in Black communities.
Both President Biden and Vice President Harris maintained a careful distance from progressive terminology throughout their campaign, recognizing the potential political liability of such language.
However, President-elect Trump and Republican opponents continued to associate Democrats with these controversial phrases despite the candidates' efforts to avoid them.
Carville expressed cautious optimism about the Democratic Party's future messaging strategy, noting that most party members are actively working to distance themselves from problematic terminology. He specifically mentioned hopes for a complete messaging reset before the 2026 midterm elections.
The strategist's comments reflected broader concerns about the impact of language choices on Democratic electoral prospects, as evidenced by his statement:
Some of this is just so idiotic that it defies imagination that people live like this. Can you imagine a majority Black city. If I saw three Black guys on a street corner, and I said, 'Good morning fellas. How are things in the community of color today?' they wouldn't know what I was talking about.
James Carville, a longtime Democratic strategist, highlighted the role of progressive terminology in Vice President Harris's November election loss during an interview with The Hill's "Rising" program.
His critique focused on what he called "NPR language," suggesting that while Harris herself avoided such terminology, the Democratic Party's historical use of progressive phrases like "Defund the police" and "Latinx" continued to impact voter perceptions negatively.
The discussion underscores ongoing debates within the Democratic Party about messaging strategy, with Carville expressing hope for a complete departure from such language by the 2026 midterm elections. His analysis suggests that despite efforts by both Harris and Biden to maintain moderate messaging during their campaign, the lingering effects of previous progressive terminology contributed to their electoral defeat against President-elect Trump.
