Rahm Emanuel: Dems Had Socially Inclusive Message, But Lacked a Serious Economic One

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said today that while the Democrats had a great socially inclusive message this year, they lacked a serious economic one.

Emanuel participated in a Brookings Institution discussion about Donald Trump and Brexit today, and he argued that in the past few elections where Democrats won––1992, 1996, 2008, and 2012––the party had a strong economic argument to work with.

“I’m all for a socially inclusive message,” he said, “but not at the exclusion of an economically robust message.”

He pointed out that most of the criticism of Trump centered around his character and temperament, and that argument overshadowed an economic one that could resonate with the working class.

And Trump’s win wasn’t just as “rejection of failed politics,” Emanuel noted, “it was a reaction to a political system that was not dealing with fundamental economics.”

You can watch the full discussion above (the relevant part starts at the 27-minute mark), via Brookings.

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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