TIME Magazine Writer: Not A Lot Of ‘White Men On Display’ At The DNC

TIME Magazine’s Joel Stein appeared on MSNBC’s Now with Alex Wagner on Wednesday where he sounded a note of caution for Democrats. In a discussion about where the demographic groups who supported the president in large numbers in 2008 stand today, Stein noted that President Barack Obama suffers a deficit among white men. Stein, a self-described humorist for TIME, said that the Democratic party does not seem to be overly concerned about this condition because, “there are not a lot of white people on display here – white men on display.”

Wagner outlined the many demographic groups that President Obama won in 2008 by significant margins, particularly young and minority voters and women. She went on to say that Obama’s 2008 margins with these groups are nearly certain to dip this year. She cited a recent poll that showed only 61 percent 18-29-year-old voters were likely to vote in November compared with 86 percent of older voters over the age of 65, who lean towards Mitt Romney, who were likely to vote.

“How real is this enthusiasm in the long term – and by long term, I mean the next three months,” Wagner asked Stein.

“People aren’t excited,” said Stein. He said that Michelle Obama’s well-received speech to the DNC on Tuesday night advanced the narrative Romney had advanced, which is that President Obama is “still the same guy who disappointed you.”

“His problem, like you said, we didn’t see a lot of white males last night,” Stein said. “I spent the whole day going to various caucuses, and I didn’t see a white guy basically until I got to the ‘Mormons for Obama’ group.”

“There are not a lot of white people on display here – white men on display,” said Stein.

Stein said that, according to some polls, Obama’s support among white, non-college educated men languishes in the high 30 percent range. Wagner said that that deficit likely explains the “doubling down” by Democratic politicians on themes meant to attract women and minority voters.

Watch the segment below via MSNBC:

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