November 5, 2026
After losing big in 2024, Democrats have staged a historic comeback, riding a massive blue wave back into power in Washington. Now comes the bigger question: What will they do with it? That's the idea behind Don't F#*k It Up, Democrats, a new video series from The Lever hosted by David Sirota. In conversations with politicians, economists, activists, and political insiders, Sirota asks how Democrats can use whatever power they win — without repeating the mistakes that brought them here. In Episode 1, we explore the civil war dividing the Democratic Party. As the party returns from the wilderness, will it once again bend to wealthy donors, or will it embrace voters’ populist demands, rebuild working-class trust, and finally deliver on its promises?
Joining Sirota are Robert Reich, who served as Labor Secretary under Bill Clinton and has become a leading progressive voice on economic inequality, and Patrick Gaspard, a longtime Democratic strategist and labor organizer who served as political director in Barack Obama's White House and recently advised Zohran Mamdani's successful mayoral campaign.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Democrats Have a Habit of Blowing It
03:38 Robert Reich: How Democrats Can Fight Back
9:41 The Democratic Party's Corporate Problem 14:34 How Do Democrats Avoid F#*king It Up? 22:01 Patrick Gaspard: What Democrats Got Wrong
29:05 When Billionaire Donors Call the Shots 33:40 What Democrats Can Learn From Zohran Mamdani
38:38 What Democrats Need to Deliver, Now
45:03 The Lesson Trump Taught Democrats
MORE EPISODES: Subscribe to The Lever's YouTube channel and follow our Don't F#*k It Up, Democrats playlist for new episodes throughout November.
• Don't F#*k It Up, Democrats | The Lever
• Don't F#*k It Up, Democrats | The Lever
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This episode of #DonFuckItUpDemocrats was produced and edited by Jared Jacang Maher.
