Former Hillary Clinton campaign spokesperson Karen Finney is urging the Democratic Party to stop acting so afraid of losing the presidential election, warning that such an attitude could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Democrats need to shake off the fear of losing and start projecting confidence if they want to win the presidential election, former Hillary Clinton campaign spokesperson Karen Finney said Wednesday.
Speaking to a CNN panel, Finney warned that voters are picking up on the party's anxiety and are less likely to vote for candidates who don't believe they can win.
Democrats' Fear of Losing Could Lead to Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, Warns Ex-Clinton Aide
"Voters are seeing us as losers," Finney lamented.
Her comments came in the wake of new polling showing that President Biden is trailing former President Trump in multiple states crucial for winning the presidency in November.
Democrats' Fear of Losing Could Lead to Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, Warns Ex-Clinton Aide
Finney acknowledged that this election cycle was always going to be a challenge for Democrats, but said the party's defeatist attitude is making it even harder.
"One of the things, though, that I think, we're in a cycle where Democrats – it's becoming a life-fulfilling prophecy," she said, adding, "The more we talk about how afraid we are of losing instead of how we're going to win, voters are seeing us as losers."
Democrats' Fear of Losing Could Lead to Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, Warns Ex-Clinton Aide
Finney stressed the importance of confidence in winning over voters.
"If you don't believe in yourself that you can win, voters are sort of saying, ‘Well then why am I gonna – why should I vote for you?" she said.
Urging her party to realize that confidence is key, Finney added, "I keep saying to my Democrats, you have to believe you can win to even get on the board and attempt to win."
Finney's comments echo growing concerns within the Democratic Party that President Biden is not a strong enough candidate to beat Trump in the election.
Following Biden's disastrous debate performance last month, prominent party lawmakers like Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., have reportedly warned that Biden cannot win re-election and have been pushing the party to find a new candidate.
However, President Biden and his campaign have continued to project confidence that he is still the best candidate to beat Trump.
During a recent NBC News interview with network anchor Lester Holt, the president reminded viewers that he won the primary process and is therefore the man to run for president.
"14 million people voted for me to be the nominee of the Democratic Party, okay?" Biden told NBC's Lester Holt during their sit-down interview at the White House. "I listen to them."
But Finney's warning is a reminder that the Democratic Party cannot take victory for granted and must work hard to convince voters that they believe they can win. If they continue to project fear and doubt, they risk losing the election before it even begins.
In addition to Finney's concerns, a recent letter circulated by House Democrats has added to the pressure on Biden. The letter, signed by a group of progressive lawmakers, calls for delaying the Democratic National Convention until after the midterms in order to give the party more time to assess Biden's chances of winning re-election.
The White House has dismissed the letter as "speculation," but it is a sign of growing unease within the Democratic Party about Biden's electability.
As the election draws near, the Democratic Party faces a difficult choice. They can either continue to project fear and doubt, which could lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, or they can embrace confidence and work hard to convince voters that they believe they can win. The future of the party may depend on which choice they make.
