Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville went after the Biden campaign on Sunday, saying its focus on the Israel-Hamas war has pushed away key demographics of voters and called for a readjustment towards economic issues.
“We keep wondering why these young people are not coming home to the Democrats,” Carville said in a video address for Politicon on Sunday. “Why are Blacks not coming home to the Democrats? Because Democrat messaging is full of shit, that’s why!”
Democratic strategists have shown increasing concern about Biden’s appeal among Black voters and other minority groups that have traditionally leaned toward the party. Just over 60 percent of Black Americans said they plan to vote this year, a 12-point dip from 2020, according to a poll early this month.
Carville, who spearheaded former President Clinton’s 1992 campaign and has been increasingly critical of the Democratic left in recent months, said the solution to the Biden campaign’s woes is to take a page out of Clinton’s book and focus on the economy.
“Talk about cost of living, and ‘we’re going to help deal with this,’” Carville said. “Don’t talk about f***ing Gaza and student loans!”
However, Carville’s observations aren’t entirely supported by polling. A March survey found that a higher proportion of Black voters believe the Israel-Hamas war is the most important issue to them than voters overall. Biden’s ardent support for Israel in the conflict could be hurting his support among that key group more than other demographics, other political strategists have argued.
Concerns are even more significant among young voters, who are more likely to care about the Israel-Hamas war and student loan relief than older or more moderate voters. Carville argued that those concerns should be thrown out in favor of appealing to voters toward the center.
The veteran strategist has been openly critical of Biden during his reelection bid. He’s also taken it to the Democratic Party establishment itself, saying in March that “too many preachy females” are “dominating the culture” of the party.
The presidential election remains neck-and-neck in polling. Former President Trump holds a one-point lead over Biden in The Hill/Decision Desk HQ average of polls.
