Hanson Comments On Political Dynamics
Victor Davis Hanson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institute, recently shared a hard-hitting assessment of the current state of the Democratic Party, observing that while Democrats seem to be “hemorrhaging” support, they remain out of touch with the level of frustration that many voters feel toward the party’s “new left” wing.
On his podcast, The Victor Davis Hanson Show, Hanson argued that the Democrats’ attempts to vilify former President Donald Trump may be backfiring, making him more sympathetic to voters who feel similarly disenchanted with the political establishment.
Throughout Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign against Trump, Democrats and mainstream media ramped up accusations against the former president, even branding him as a “fascist” at one point. Yet, Hanson believes that these attacks have largely failed to sway public opinion in the way the Democrats intended.
According to Hanson, Trump’s ability to withstand these labels—no matter how inflammatory—makes him appear “bulletproof” to a growing number of Americans. Hanson stated, “When they go after him and call him a fascist and a dictator, it’s not that that has no influence upon him. That makes Donald Trump more sympathetic,” adding that, paradoxically, attacks on Trump seem to energize his base even more.
Hanson pointed to the general frustration with the political establishment as a major driver behind Trump’s appeal. For many, Trump’s disregard for political correctness and his blunt remarks resonate because they perceive him as unfiltered—a trait that angers the establishment and, in turn, satisfies voters who are equally angry.
Hanson explained that Trump’s controversial statements, which are often criticized by mainstream media and political elites, can actually bolster his support among those who feel alienated by what they see as an out-of-touch establishment. “If they hear Trump say something out there, and they think that’s going to make the establishment angry, then that’s fine with them,” he said.
Hanson’s remarks highlight a growing divide within American politics: while the Republican Party has largely united around Trump’s influence, the Democratic Party has shifted in a direction that many voters perceive as increasingly radical. Hanson suggested that the Democratic Party has transformed into something closer to a “neo-socialist, anarchist party,” far removed from the traditional working-class and middle-of-the-road values it once championed.
“I don’t think the left have any idea—this new left—how despised they are by the majority of people,” he said. He added that 94% of Republicans are happy with the direction of their party, contrasting this with a Democratic Party that, he argued, no longer resembles its previous self.
Hanson’s insights come at a time when Democrats have started to scale back some of their most extreme rhetoric. Even President Joe Biden, who had once called for Trump to be “locked up” while speaking in New Hampshire, quickly clarified that he meant “politically” rather than literally. The shift in tone seems to reflect an awareness within Democratic circles that accusations of authoritarianism may be losing their punch.
Adding to this growing skepticism, radio personality Charlamagne Tha God recently questioned Biden’s approach to Trump. After years of intense rhetoric, Charlamagne asked how Biden could meet cordially with Trump, suggesting a disconnect between public statements and private actions among Democratic leaders.