Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs What’s NewRahm Emanuel has criticized fellow Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris for not embracing being the “change agent” in the presidential race, which she lost to President-elect Donald Trump in November.Why It MattersEmanuel, currently serving as the U.S. ambassador to Japan, has been floated as a potential candidate to lead the Democratic National Committee (DNC), though he has not formally announced a bid. If he were to win the race, he would have a key role in determining the future direction of the party.Democrats have been divided over what direction the party should go in after Harris’ loss in November. The vice president’s campaign has come under scrutiny and faced criticism, with progressives arguing that her embrace of anti-Trump Republicans like former Representative Liz Cheney alienated traditionally Democratic voters, while more moderate Democrats say she ran too far to the left.
Rahm Emanuel appears in New York City on August 1, 2019. Emanuel criticized Democrats’ embrace of the political establishment in an interview with David Axelrod.
Rahm Emanuel appears in New York City on August 1, 2019. Emanuel criticized Democrats’ embrace of the political establishment in an interview with David Axelrod.
Steven Ferdman/Getty Images
What to KnowEmanuel said on the podcast The Axe Files with David Axelrod released on Monday that he believes Harris’ campaign abandoned the vice president’s chance to be the “change agent” in the election.”When 70 percent of the country says its headed in the wrong direction, the bones of the election are there. On the other hand, Donald Trump ran a race against the Kamala Harris of 2020, not the Kamala Harris of 2024. They had its obligation to change that, become the change agent she could have, by the nature of her biography, been the change agent. And she didn’t. The campaign did not posture that,” he said.He said that the Harris campaign did posture her as the change agent in the beginning but “walked away from that.”He also chastised Democrats for embracing the political establishment, which he said has lost credibility with the public over the Iraq War, the 2008 Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic”Our decision, when the establishment was hated, years later in COVID become the voice of the establishment and embrace the establishment. That has destroyed the party. I think, because, in the last 20 years, the elite and the establishment have lost any credibility with the American public,” he said.He noted the public believes the establishment “deceived them into some of the two worst things where livelihoods and lives were lost” and have not apologized or been held accountable for their failures.Trump, meanwhile, understands the “rage” against the political elite, Emanuel said.Newsweek reached out to Emanuel via the Tokyo embassy’s email for comment.If Emanuel jumps into the DNC race, he would bring high name recognition and experience and could be viewed as a favorite, despite resistance from some progressives. He previously outlined several ways Democrats can counter Trump in a Washington Post opinion piece.He has held a number of positions, including the mayor of Chicago, White House chief of staff and is a former House Representative.What People Are SayingSpeculation about Emanuel running for DNC chair has drawn mixed reception from Democrats.Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, on X: “There is a disease in Washington of Democrats who spend more time listening to the donor class than working people. If you want to know the seed of the party’s political crisis, that’s it. The DNC needs an organizer who gets people. Not someone who sends fish heads in the mail.”Axelrod, on X: “Dems need a strong and strategic party leader, with broad experience in comms; fundraising and winning elections. One thought I surfaced on @HacksonTap: Ambassador@RahmEmanuel. There may be others but he is kind of sui [generis]: Dude knows how to fight and win!”What’s NextThe DNC will elect its next leader on February 1. There will be four candidate forums held in January. Several contenders have already announced their bids, including DNC Vice Chair Ken Martin, Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and New York State Senator James Skoufis.
