An unsolicited text from a panicked Democrat

The worry is real.

Amid an attempt by Joe Biden’s campaign to dismiss his disastrous debate performance as simply a bad 90 minutes in a long campaign and to blame the media for stoking the idea that the party is panicked, I got an unsolicited note from a longtime source.

I hadn’t heard from him a while. He is a Democratic political consultant who has spent his life living and working outside of Washington. And what he expressed was amazement — and disbelief — that his party leaders were trying to sweep what we all saw Thursday night under the rug.

I asked him if I could publish what he sent me. He said “yes” as long as I stripped out his name and where he lived — to avoid retribution from the Biden folks. I agreed.

The note — unedited — is below. I think it’s a telling sign that all is not well in the Democratic party. And that there are a LOT of worried people out there.

I just don't understand what in the hell is going on.

As a career Democratic operative who never lived in DC, I can't underscore how different things are outside the bubble. People I talk with who aren't political hacks and just happen to be Democrats or ‘never Trump’ types are mortified and scared after the debate.

My phone hasn't stopped.

These aren't people who are active on Twitter or dedicate their social media feeds to politics, they are just normal folk. They don't understand why the Democratic Party is doing this.

They are horrified and perplexed and absolutely recognize they are being gaslighted (aka - look at how well he did at that rally in Raleigh!)

Like me, they have cared for elderly parents and understand how different every day can be. I lost my Dad in January and I recognize exactly where Biden is in the aging process. This is nuts!

I represent several elected Democrats here who are in tight districts who are despondent. We had the worst African American turnout in modern history in 2022 and I expect this one to be even worse (for a Presidential year).

Yet, when folks like me speak up, we are told by the DC types to “chill out” or “calm down.”

I think all those years of wearing their britches two sizes too small have finally affected the DC Dem consulting class's blood flow to their brains.

I'm a delegate to the DNC in August. I know I'm pledged to him, but how the fuck can I vote for Biden? How can I do that to my country?

Obviously in a different way than the Republicans, but there is something very wrong with my party.

The problem centers around out of touch elitists whose only modern experiences with real people is being in the other side of that mirror in a focus group, or reading polls. They don't get it. And, confusingly, don't care.

Please tell me you are hearing some things that could be encouraging for those of us who never left the front lines!