Former Clinton pollster Mark Penn stumbled Wednesday evening on “Hannity” when asked to name Democrats he considers “moderate,” eventually admitting it was a “small list.”
Since President Donald Trump’s 2024 victory, the Democrat Party has struggled to regain ground with voters, recently hitting a record-low favorability rating. Fox host Sean Hannity asked Penn whether he believed his party had been “radicalized” by the far left and if he could name any remaining moderates, citing Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman as an example.
“Well, first of all, we’re going to have to see what happens in the next presidential primary,” Penn said. “I know right now after this defeat, the Democratic Party is leaderless, and AOC and Bernie Sanders are going around and they’re trying to, I think, take the party even further to the left when the evidence is the problem with this party is it’s too far to the left for America.”
“It’s got to get back to the center if it ever hopes to get back into government. I think that’s the most important lesson here. It’s not happening. Jasmine Crockett, AOC, move over. There’s a new act in town, a new person who can raise money, a new person who kind of adds to the show of the left,” Penn added. “The social media popularity is not the same.”
A CNN/SSRS poll released March 16 showed Democrats’ favorability among voters has dropped 20 points since January 2021, hitting a record low of just 29% approval. A significant portion of the disapproval came from within their own party, with over 30% of respondents unable to name a Democratic leader who “best reflects the core values” of the party.
Among those who did name someone, Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez led with 10% support, followed by Vice President Kamala Harris at 9%, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at 8% and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries at 6%. Former President Barack Obama and Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett each received 4%, while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and a handful of others trailed at 2%.
Hannity pushed back on Penn and pointed out that he wasn’t answering the question directly. The Fox host then noted how voters had witnessed Democrats’ “groupthink” during Trump’s joint address to Congress on March 4.
WATCH:
During the night of the president’s speech, Democrats protested Trump in various ways. Democratic Texas Rep. Al Green was removed from the chamber just minutes into the event after attempting to interrupt Trump. Additionally, Democratic lawmakers refused to stand for 13-year-old D.J. Daniel, who was diagnosed with cancer and given an honorary Secret Service agent title during the night.
“So my question is, give me names. Who would you say is a moderate Democrat today? As many people as you can think of. Go,” Hannity said.
“Look, I would definitely like to have seen Josh Shapiro as someone who I thought Harris should have named as vice president. I think he could be a very good centrist candidate,” Penn said.
Hannity interrupted Penn, saying he was “talking about [people in] Washington’”and, while Shapiro was a “fair answer,” asked if he had any other options.
“Well, it’s a small list right now,” Penn said. “Pennsylvania seems to have Fetterman and Josh Shapiro. And we’re going to have to wait and see if some others [come].”
Hannity laughed at Penn’s response, saying he didn’t mean to corner the pollster but that his party’s base has “gone radical left.”
(Featured Image Media Credit: Screenshot/Fox News/”Hannity”)
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