Bernie and AOC, Is This All They've Got?
By any measure, the Democratic Party is facing a crisis — but not the kind they like to talk about on MSNBC. This isn't about "threats to democracy" or "right-wing extremism" or "Trump is Hitler." No, this is something far more basic: The Democrats have no leadership. None. Zero. Zilch. A party that still (for now) controls the cultural narrative, has billion-dollar donors on speed dial and dominates the bureaucratic class somehow cannot produce a single coherent, competent and credible leader.
And who is coming to the rescue? Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Yes, seriously.
First, Bernie Sanders is 83 years old. That makes him older than both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, both of whom — according to the American left — are far too old to lead. Fueled by his memories of summer trips to the Soviet Union, Sanders may still have the energy to rile up college freshmen and host populist town halls, but he's not a leader for the future; he's a relic of the Cold War who never met a socialist dictator he didn't invite over for vodka. Frankly, his most enduring legacy might be making "democratic socialism" a buzzword among people who think Venezuela was just misunderstood, and handing Larry David a reliable guest role on "Saturday Night Live."
Then there's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who plays the role of next-generation savior in this sad little drama. But let's not forget: Ocasio-Cortez (otherwise known as AOC) represents the exact brand of progressive politics that helped tank Biden's reelection hopes in 2024. Open borders. Defunding police. Green New Deals that cost more than the GDP of several European nations combined. Identity politics on steroids. That's not a winning platform; it's a BuzzFeed comment section turned into legislation.
Worse still, AOC doesn't actually lead anyone. She tweets. She makes Instagram videos. She claps back on cable news. But in terms of building a national coalition, persuading independents or even taking tough votes that might alienate her base? Absent. Her power is cultural, not political — which might explain why the Democratic Party continues to collapse into a puddle of slogans and hashtags rather than governing principles.
Oh, and how can we forget AOC's ever-changing accent that would make Hillary Clinton blush?
This should be the moment for a new Democratic leader to emerge — someone charismatic, competent and just maybe under the age of 75. Someone even vaguely moderate, perhaps? Instead, the bench is full of dead weight: Gavin Newsom, who can't govern California without the streets devolving into Mad Max; Gretchen Whitmer, whose pandemic power grabs soured even her own state; and Pete Buttigieg, who's still trying to figure out how traffic works.
So, yes, this is it. This is the state of the Democratic Party in 2025: clinging to a man born before the Korean War and a woman whose political instincts are slightly less popular than a root canal. The American people care about more than noise. They look for clarity, conviction and results. Sure, the Trump administration might be chaotic, but until the Democrats can find someone who offers more than a return of 2020, they'll keep losing not just elections — but the country's confidence.