Expert highlights 'potent message' Dems can use to hit Trump where it hurts

Following the State of the Union Address, Democrats are striking President Donald Trump over the declining state of the economy, and over his own allies' and family's blatant excess of self-enrichment while working Americans struggle to afford basics — but MS NOW analyst Philip Bump argued on Wednesday that there is a better message they could be using.

"Philip, your thoughts on the effectiveness of what you might call a two-prong approach from Democrats?" asked anchor Ana Cabrera.

"Yeah, I mean, I understand that the Democratic Party feels as though they are going to be well-positioned for the midterms, and they don't want to step on their own toes. I get that," said Bump. "But I do think that both the response in the room, save for, you know, some of the incidents that you you suggested and also [Virginia Gov. Abigail] Spanberger response really failed to get at the real threat to democracy, which Americans feel."

That threat to democracy, Bump argued, is heavily apparent in public surveys.

"People understand that Donald Trump wants to do something with his power that is atypical for a president, to put it mildly," said Bump. "We have that new poll from Marist conducted for PBS Newshour and NPR, which shows that 90 percent of Democrats, I think 80 percent of independents, feels American democracy is at risk. And I think there's a very potent message there, which the Democrats have been shying away from in favor of the economy."

"I think it's a missed opportunity, particularly after that speech last night," he added.

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