The potential Democratic candidates for the 2028 presidential race are all jumping on the podcast bandwagon, which somehow seems to be enduring despite its superficial nature. It appears they have decided to take a leaf out of Trump’s campaign textbook from 2024, ridiculously believing that this unoriginal strategy will give them the same results Trump achieved. They hope to connect with younger male voters, a group Trump successfully engaged during his campaign.
The podcast medium is known for its loose, unstructured dialogues, and Democratic strategists grudgingly admit that their candidates need to adapt to this freeform style of conversation. This signals a shift in how politicians interact with their audiences, but this doesn’t mean it’s a favorable change. And undoubtedly, aspiring Democratic candidates for 2028 are desperately trying to fill the internet with content, believing quantity will somehow equate to popularity.
Regrettably, Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky, has jumped onto this podcast train. His content so far feels like a desperate attempt to appear hip and up to date, with guests ranging from donors to ex-ambassadors, even including his children. His opening message to ‘be authentic, you be you, boo’ feels more like a parody than a serious political message.
Exceeding in ridiculousness is Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s appearance on Pod Save America where her lack of seriousness was displayed through a rather brief conversation. Not only did she casually refer to a major economic development project involving Trump as a ‘BFD’, she also seems like she’s jumbling up her stances, claiming not to abandon her values while simultaneously aligning with Trump.
Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, has also taken an interesting tack with his podcast. He’s using his platform to chat with people he ostensibly disagrees with, trying hard to convince us all that he appreciates a wide spectrum of thoughts. But it seems more like a poorly-executed attempt to broaden his reach than a genuine effort to create meaningful dialogue.
Newsom has attracted an eclectic mix of guests, including former Trump strategist Steve Bannon and conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. In an attempt for balance, he has also interviewed Amy Klobuchar and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who ran as Harris’s Vice President in 2024. However, all the conversations have been almost uncomfortably friendly, somehow downplaying the seriousness of political discourse.
Newsom seems to be playing it fast and loose with his audience, giving airtime to the very people his party considers adversaries. His unorthodox approach has garnered pushback within his circle. Newsom’s recent disagreements with California’s legislature and liberal critique regarding his stance on trans issues, immigration, and homelessness should perhaps signal that his podcast experiment isn’t living up to the hype.
Interestingly, former Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg seems to believe the Democrats need to connect with ‘people who don’t think like us’. His attempt at intellectual diversity, showcased on Andrew Schulz’s Flagrant podcast, did nothing but further highlight the disjointedness of his political ideas.
In a overlong conversation with Schulz, Buttigieg touched on his personal life, his military service, and his time before coming out as gay. He continued to misrepresent Trump’s economic policy from the 2024 campaign, conveniently omitting the successful aspects.
While Buttigieg spoke in Iowa earlier this month, he emphasized the importance of encountering people with differing viewpoints. This includes improving their own positions as well as persuading others. This stance, however, feels like another pitiful attempt at coming across as diverse and tolerant when it may very well be merely a deflective strategy.
In conclusion, the Democratic hopefuls for 2028 are desperately trying to leverage the podcast platform for their advantage. Instead of presenting coherent, thought-out ideas, they are shamelessly copying from Trump’s 2024 campaign playbook while clumsily adding their own liberal spin.
However, playing catch-up and mimicking a former successful campaign doesn’t inspire confidence in their potential to lead. Rather than actually striving for meaningful engagement, they seem more focused on performing inclusivity, barely hiding their patronization of different viewpoints.
Ultimately, the whole podcast endeavor seems like a desperate attempt by the Democratic candidates to emulate the success of the Republicans. This impersonation of Trump’s 2024 strategy, however, lacks the originality, novelty, and genuine public appeal that made the Trump campaign connect so effectively with people.