New York Times opinion cautions liberals not to 'demonize' Trump voters

In an opinion piece published on Saturday, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof cautioned liberals to avoid "demeaning" Trump voters and instead engage them with more respect.

Kristof referenced a recent speech by former President Bill Clinton at the Democratic National Convention, where Clinton warned Democrats to stay focused and not let the “election slip away.” Clinton also urged Democrats to be mindful of how they speak about voters who are not as liberal.

“I urge you to meet people where they are,” Clinton said at the DNC.  “I urge you not to demean them, but not to pretend you don’t disagree with them if you do. Treat them with respect — just the way you’d like them to treat you.”

Kristof agreed with Clinton's message, noting that since 2016, “the liberal impulse has been to demonize anyone at all sympathetic to Donald Trump as a racist and bigot.” He argued that this approach is politically unwise, as it is difficult to win over voters when they feel disparaged.

“By all means denounce Trump, but don’t stereotype and belittle the nearly half of Americans who have sided with him,” Kristof wrote.

Kristof further highlighted the lack of appeal among working-class Americans for the Democratic Party, suggesting they feel “betrayed.” Meanwhile, the party has become more aligned with academics and college-educated voters, who can come across as condescending to working-class and religious Americans.

He also pointed out the party’s focus on racial and gender identity rather than class disadvantage. “You can’t have a serious conversation about inequality today without discussing race. But you also can’t have a serious conversation about poverty or opportunity without considering class,” he noted.

In response to these concerns, Vice President Kamala Harris selected Tim Walz as her running mate is an attempt to appeal to working-class voters. However, it remains to be seen if this strategy will be effective, given Walz’s controversies, including his embellished military career and radical stances on gender issues as governor.