Let's get into the Democrats's disastrous night
in our new and maybe frequently recurring segment,
the Red Wedding.
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All right, let's start in the city
that shook up the world in 2020.
Since the police killing of George Floyd,
Minneapolis citizens have been debating
whether they should make "defund the police"
a reality in their city.
So, yesterday, they finally voted on a plan
that would reorganize and rename the police department,
give some of their functions to nonpolice
and make cops more accountable.
And that ballot measure lost by 12 points.
Which, let me tell you now, in politics is not that close.
It's not like losing a football game by 12.
It's like losing a baseball game by 12.
Yeah, that locker room is quiet.
Now, one reason it lost
was probably that the details of the plan were complicated,
and what some voters heard
was just the phrase "abolish the police."
Because not a lot of people have time in their life
to read the text of legislation.
And the people that like to spend their free time
reading bills, well, they could explain it to their friends,
but they don't have any.
But other voters did understand the plan,
and they just didn't want it.
The African American community is in a quandary,
because, historically and currently,
we are abused by police disproportionately.
And, on the other hand,
we also are abused and killed by our neighbors.
And so it's a quandary we're in.
And when you live here though,
you realize that the-- we can't sacrifice one
to address the other.
Yeah. I see where that man is coming from.
Because even if Black people don't love cops,
the situation for them is more nuanced than you might think.
I mean, even N.W.A., they didn't want to abolish the police.
Yeah, (bleep) the police.
But you still need to have them around to (bleep).
And, by the way, just-just as an aside,
it must be so hard to be a Black barber.
Right? 'Cause, like, 90% of your shop
is always just filled with reporters
trying to interview Black people.
I'm sure Black barbers are just like, "Yo!
"Hey, man! Black people go to other places, too!
"You guys ever heard of a grocery store?
"Shit, I'm trying to cut hair.
"But let me tell you my views on this issue as well.
Now that you're here."
But aside from the rejection of police reform in Minneapolis,
there were setbacks for Democrats
across the country last night.
First of all, they barely-- and I mean barely--
eked out a victory in the race for governor of New Jersey.
And that state is more blue than an orgy of Smurfs.
But the bigger loss was in Virginia,
or, as it's known by its full name,
East West Virginia.
Because Virginia has been becoming
more and more Democratic for years now.
They voted for the first Black president
and the first blackface governor.
So everyone expected them
to elect another Democratic governor.
But Virginia had other plans.
NEWSWOMAN: Republicans reign.
Glenn Youngkin, the projected winner
in Virginia's high-stakes battle for governor.
A stunning reversal in a solidly Democratic state.
All righty, Virginia!
-We won this thing! -(cheering)
NEWSMAN: Narrowly defeating his Democratic opponent,
former governor Terry McAuliffe,
in a state President Biden won by ten points just one year ago.
That is why, uh, there on the-- in the Oval Office
there's a big red warning light,
uh, flashing right now after what happened in Virginia
with a Republican winning.
NEWSMAN 2: Could be a red flag for the upcoming midterms
for Democrats.
Okay, okay, I know there were a lot of factors here,
but-but whatever this was,
this-- that definitely didn't help.
I mean, I guess you know what they say.
"Dance like nobody's voting for you."
And what's especially shocking about this result is
that Joe Biden won Virginia by ten points just a year ago.
That is a huge swing, people.
That's like a Kim Kardashian going
from Kanye to Pete Davidson level swing.
Now on the one hand, this is just one race to lead one state.
Please don't get me wrong.
But as you heard, it could also be a bellwether
of the things to come in the midterms next year.
You know, the same way your girlfriend's saying,
"That guy is cute" is a bellwether
that you're going to be single soon.
So why did Democrats do so badly in Virginia last night?
Well, it depends on who you ask.
This is a major defeat for the Democratic Party.
Yes, it's a referendum on President Biden.
Voters are, you know, disappointed in Biden,
angry at Biden, distressed about what other things they see
about inflation.
The problem with Democrats is
they made this about Trump, and Trump was not on the ballot.
NEWSMAN: Youngkin cut into McAullife's margins
in Democratic strongholds by focusing on education,
including the controversial critical race theory.
There's no doubt that critical race theory is a weapon
that he utilized to great effect.
Well, the message is tonight is-is that the liberal policies
that are being pushed right now through Washington
are not necessarily very successful.
This is not a referendum on liberal versus progressive
versus moderate in the Democratic Party.
This is a referendum on the fact
that they haven't gotten anything done.
Ooh. All right, it would be bad enough
if Democrats had one reason they lost,
but they have, like, 50.
I mean, it's Biden's unpopularity.
It's worries about the economy.
It's the fact that the pandemic is still hanging around
like the Tootsie Rolls three weeks after Halloween.
And then, there's strategy problems.
I mean, Democrats kept trying to fire up their base
by making this race about Donald Trump.
But here's the thing. Trump wasn't running.
Honestly, Democrats,
you should enjoy this break from Trump while you can.
Because after he wins in 2024, and declares himself emperor,
you'll be running against him forever.
And on the Republican side, I mean, there's no denying
that Glenn Youngkin's fearmongering
about critical race theory also played a roll,
and honestly, this, my friends,
this is where Republicans really excel.
I mean, they set the agenda.
They know how to play the game.
Because a year ago, if you asked anyone
what critical race theory was, they'd be like,
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
But if you ask them now, they will be like,
"I still have no idea what you are talking about,
but I'm terrified of it!"
And it is not just Critical Race Theory.
Republicans have been doing this for decades,
and they are great at it.
Everything America fights about, they start it.
All these culture wars.
The transpeople want to use your bathroom!
The gays want to defile marriage!
There's a war on Christmas! They're trying to kill Santa!
Dead people and illegal immigrants are voting!
It's all them. Smart.
What you need to understand is, if they can set the agenda,
then they can choose the fight.
Like, if I'm going to fight Floyd Mayweather,
I'm not going to choose to fight him in the ring.
I'm gonna choose to fight him in a spelling bee.
Yeah, then we'll see who the greatest of all time is, champ.
C-H-A-M-P. Champ.
I mean, for the most part, Democrats don't want to engage
in those culture wars,
because they think that they can win
on policy alone, but where that plan falls apart
is that they are not getting anything actually done.
'Cause all their ideas are tied up in in-fighting and bickering.
And that makes a difference.
Makes a huge difference in messaging,
because when Republicans say,
"Democrats are teaching your kids
that white people are all bad,"
what can Democrats say?
No. We're not doing that!
Okay, then what are you doing?
Well, right now we're trying to get you six weeks of paid leave.
Huh?
What? No? Zero weeks?
Okay, no paid leave, but we are getting you free college.
Huh? What's that?
No? Okay, no free college.
But we are raising taxes on rich people!
What is that? No?
Oh, we're cutting the taxes on rich people.
And that is the Democrat promise.
(bell dings)
Here is a simple message to the Democrats.
You can come with all the nice ideas in the world,
but if you can't make the changes that you promise,
then best believe voters are gonna make some changes
of their own.