Multiple Democratic strategists sounded less-than-hopeful notes about the midterms in interviews with The New York Times, one of whom joked “Are you calling to ask me about our impending doom?”

On Friday, The New York Times published an article by Blake Hounshell entitled “‘It’s Time to Head for the Lifeboats’: Democratic Fatalism Intensifies,” and subheadlined “Strategists and pollsters are increasingly talking about limiting the party’s expected losses in November rather than how to gain new seats.”

The article noted headwinds facing Democrats that include inflation and President Joe Biden‘s stubbornly low approval ratings, but was noteworthy for its collection of quotes. A sampling:

• “Are you calling to ask me about our impending doom?” one Democratic strategist quipped at the outset of a recent phone call.
• “The vibes just feel very off,” said Tré Easton, a progressive consultant.
• Others use words like “horrible” and “debacle” to describe a political environment that has gone from bad to worse over the last three months
• “It’s going to be a terrible cycle for Democrats,” said Doug Sosnik, a former political adviser to Bill Clinton.
• “What you’re seeing is people feeling like it’s time to head for the lifeboats rather than trying to steer the ship,” said Robert Gibbs, a former White House press secretary who worked under Barack Obama.
• “Frankly,” he said, “the most important thing is to preserve the ability to have elections in the future.” — Jim Kessler, the executive vice president for policy at Third Way.

The White House has consistently messaged the midterms as what Press Secretary Jen Psaki calls a “choice” election.

In a theme she has touched on frequently when asked about the midterms, Psaki told reporters this week that “everybody looks at a choice and what each party is fighting for, is advocating for, has gotten accomplished, but also what their vision is for the future.  And we’re proud of our vision.”

And President Biden leaned heavily into the type of choice he wants Americans to see this week, excoriating Republicans over anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, their retaliation against Disney, and their loyalty to and fear of former President Donald Trump.

The post ‘Are You Calling To Ask Me About Our Impending Doom?’ NY Times Finds Democratic Strategists Not Exactly Optimistic About Midterms first appeared on Mediaite.

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