Staff Reports
Rob Flaherty, Deputy Campaign Manager for Vice President Kamala Harris, recently lamented that the Democrats are losing their grip on the cultural landscape. Flaherty, who is no stranger to political maneuvering as a former social media director for President Biden, referenced President-elect Donald Trump’s savvy use of podcasts and the evolving dynamics in the sports world as evidence of this cultural decline for the left.
Flaherty expressed that campaigns act as the last-mile delivery of political messages, navigating a cultural terrain that is increasingly dominated by conservative values. He pointed out that it’s quite impossible to see an 8-point shift to the right without first conceding some control over the culture that influences it. It seems the Democrats are finding out the hard way that cultural hegemony is not merely a relic of the past; it requires constant nurturing and adaptation.
In my 1st column for @compactmag_ last January I warned that both the Democratic establishment and the party's urban-left flank were estranged from workers they desperately needed in their coalition. My latest examines why this crisis seems so intractable https://t.co/tstoJefxfP
— Justin H. Vassallo (@jhv85) December 18, 2024
As the 2024 campaign gains momentum, both Harris and Trump have aimed to leverage the podcasting arena to broadcast their messages. However, while Trump has been busy racking up appearances on heavyweight shows like Joe Rogan’s and other popular podcasts with staggering view counts, Harris has been featured on shows that raise more eyebrows than interest. Her foray into the podcast world includes guest spots on sex-themed platforms, which have barely managed to scrape out a fraction of Trump’s audience. Indeed, her appearance on “Call Her Daddy” garnered a meager 938,000 views, while Trump’s Joe Rogan episode blitzed past 53 million in just over a month.
Perhaps the real bombshell for Harris was her missed opportunity to appear on Rogan’s podcast. The campaign reportedly declined due to the show’s standard one-hour format, a decision some aides have now openly regretted. As her defeat looms larger in the background, one has to wonder if skipping Rogan was indeed a tactical blunder that will amplify the challenges faced by Democrats moving forward.
Flaherty also pointed out the shifting landscape of sports and culture, where the two have intertwined so tightly that it’s now an uphill battle for athletes who might wish to protest conservative ideologies. Citing a transformation that has made it more difficult for sports personalities to advocate for leftist ideas, he noted the Democrats’ traditional influence in this realm is waning. He remarked that the culture of heavy sports-watching now resonates more with right-wing values, making it tougher for the left to connect with audiences in these venues.
With Trump’s popularity evidently surging in the sports arena, the shift is palpable. Players in the NFL have even started mimicking the “Trump dance” in celebration after touchdowns, a revelatory nod to the shifting tides. Trump has also become a frequent fixture at UFC events and receives standing ovations in historically blue states, demonstrating a cultural resonance that has left Democrats in the dust. In the game of politics and culture, it’s clear that the left is scrambling to hold onto the reins while the right is firmly in the driver’s seat.
