Ezra Klein to Fellow Liberals Blaming Trump on Fox: ‘Shut the F*** Up’

As Democrats continue to parse their 2024 defeat, New York Times columnist Ezra Klein criticized liberals for dismissing voters’ concerns about the economy and crime as “just Fox News.” He urged Democrats to “talk to some people” and engage more directly with voters.

In a recent one Pod Save America In this episode, Klein urged Democrats to stop attributing Donald Trump’s reelection solely to conservative media narratives and called for the party to refocus on issues that affect everyday life rather than on niche policy positions that appeal to only part of their base.

“This idea that says something like, ‘Oh no, the economy is actually good, or crime is actually down.’ This is all just Fox News. Stop it, talk to some people who live near you,” Klein said in a conversation with host Jon Favreau.

Klein downplayed the progressive wing’s focus on issues like trans rights in prison as a key factor in Democrats’ losses, arguing that while these topics are “incredibly hot-button issues,” they may not resonate with the broader electorate.

“If you look at where the Democratic vote share has fallen the most, that’s where the cost of living is the highest,” he said, emphasizing that for many voters, economic concerns and crime far outweigh niche social issues.

Klein pointed to recent Democratic losses in expensive urban centers and noted that many residents feel disillusioned by the party’s perceived aloofness from issues that affect their daily lives. “What surprised me least about the election was the sharp red shift in these major cities,” Klein noted. “If you just talk to anyone who lives in it, they’re furious.”

He explained that, having lived in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, he regularly encounters people expressing frustration over rising crime and economic hardship, which some progressives have dismissed as media exaggerations.

He also highlighted Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s recent policy of busing migrants to New York as an example of real-world issues fueling urban discontent. The presence of large numbers of recent migrants has put a strain on urban resources and, according to Klein, adds to a growing list of urban challenges that Democrats must seriously address.

“Some of the anger I’m just hearing from people in New York,” Klein added, “is that Greg Abbott is transporting massive amounts of migrants here. But anyway, that means there were plenty of migrants for Greg Abbott to bring real human bodies to. New York City.”

Klein also expressed concern about the influence of special interest groups on Democratic campaigns, noting the ACLU’s role in raising “edge-case” issues. He cited a 2020 ACLU questionnaire that asked Democratic candidates about conducting gender reassignment surgeries for undocumented immigrants in detention centers.

“What the hell was the ACLU doing?” Klein asked. “Did they think they were helping transgender people with this? Because it wasn’t,” he argued, suggesting such policies only served to alienate moderate voters and divert attention from pressing issues like health care, housing and public safety.

These niche priorities, Klein argued, could hinder Democrats’ ability to tackle issues that resonate with a broader voter base.

“The consistency of what they hear matters,” Klein said, urging Democrats to avoid “getting all the way to where public support among you is collapsing.” Instead, he recommended a more grounded approach that prioritizes economic and security issues that are central to the daily lives of most Americans.