NY Times’ Tom Friedman says Democrats struggling because they've ‘gone too far to the left’

New York Times columnist Tom Friedman spoke candidly Wednesday night about why he believed Democrats were struggling in election campaigns in states like Arizona and Virginia.

"The party has gone too far to the left for this country that is still center-right and center-left," Friedman said during an appearance with CNN host Anderson Cooper.

For example, Friedman said, the death of George Floyd in police custody in May 2020 captured the attention of the public for a need to make real changes in policing throughout the U. S.  – but he claimed progressive Democrats squandered the opportunity by proposing ideas that the public rejected.

"They were really open for a both-ends solution -- both better policing and more policing in neighborhoods that are really suffering from terrible gun violence," Friedman said about American public opinion.

"And what did the progressives offer first? Defund the police and delegitimize police," Friedman continued. "What a wasted moment. The country was ready for a both-ends civil rights movement and it was squandered. I’m sorry."

Friedman then claimed progressives were making a similar mistake with their economic proposals.

"My God, people don’t want democratic socialism," Friedman said. "They don’t just want to hear that we’re helping people that are hurting – yes, we must help them," but he claimed Democrats were too focused on "giveaway" social safety ... (Read more)

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