"We have a message problem, a messenger problem, an ideas problem and a brand problem." Dem strategist Lis Smith has some advice for her party.

It's safe to say Democrats are going through something of an identity crisis at the moment. They have no clear leaders, no driving issues, and no real power in Washington. And that makes the current government shutdown an interesting test case for Democratic leaders like Chuck Schumer over what they think their voters want and how best to fight Donald Trump.

Our guest today, Democratic strategist Lis Smith, has not minced words when it comes to perceptions of her party.

She told the New York Times that the Democratic brand was “in the toilet” and recently called for Democrats to “burn the party establishment down.”

Smith, however, is not some upstart campaign disruptor. She's a veteran of twenty political campaigns, most recently as a senior adviser to Pete Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign.

This makes her critique of the party and the work she's doing this cycle to try and fix it worth understanding and exploring more deeply.

We recorded this conversation on Wednesday, October 7th.

You can watch part of the conversation our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thecookpoliticalreport

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