Michele Norris: ‘Democrats Have to Learn How to Tell a Powerful Story that Actually Reaches People’

Wallace: “As Michele mentioned earlier in the hour, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked the split-ticket voters among her social media following why they voted for her and Donald Trump. As our friend Michele said in her piece on MSNBC.com, it wasn’t the most sophisticated method of surveying voters, but the responses were swift and candid. Things like this: ‘I feel you are both outsiders compared to the rest of D.C., and less establishment.’ ‘I wanted change so I went with Trump and blue for the rest of the ballot to put some brakes on him.’ ‘Both of you push boundaries and force growth.’ ‘It’s real simple. Trump and you care for the working class.’ ‘I feel like Trump and you are both real. You were focused on the real issues people care about, similar to Trump populism in some ways.’ ‘You signaled change. Trump signified change. I’ve said lately, Trump sounds more like you.’ We’re back with Michele and Donny. Wow, Michele. Of all the compliments Trump doesn’t deserve, that he sounds like AOC feels like maybe near the top.”

NORRIS: “That must have created some sort of vertigo for her, Nicolle, to see that. But yet, it’s instructive. You know, you would ask what the Democrats need to do now. I’m tempted to quote Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones. You know, in that last episode he says what unites people? Is it gold? Is it armies? Is it flags? No, it’s a well told story. And Democrats have to figure out how to tell a powerful story that actually reaches people. And, you know, when I listen to Governor Beshear talk about what people feel in their gut in doing that, you know, they also have to be honest about the other headwinds that they face. We’ve been talking about the economy. But in doing whatever kind of after-action forensics they do, they also have to be willing to try to figure out how and to what extent deep-seated biases may have played into this. You know, people have a certain sense of what authority looks like in this country. All you have to do is look at the CEO class to understand that. And so, to what degree were people just uncomfortable sending a person of color or a woman, or a person who is both those things, you know, into higher office? And in order to tell that better story, they’ve got to understand the headwinds in order to do that.”