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Dan Pfeiffer on Joe Biden, beating Trump, and saving democracy

Mar 12, 2020

Guest

Daniel Pfeiffer

Dan Pfeiffer, former White House communications director for Obama and co-host of Pod Save America, shares his insights on the political landscape. He argues that Donald Trump is a symptom of deeper issues rather than the root cause of America’s turmoil. Pfeiffer critiques the Democratic Party's approach, emphasizing the need for structural reform. He discusses Biden's early struggles and the lasting influence of Obama. Additionally, Pfeiffer reflects on the flaws in both party ideologies and highlights the urgent need for prioritizing democracy.

01:36:28

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ANECDOTE

Organizing for Action

The Obama campaign's post-election survey revealed volunteers' skepticism towards traditional Democratic entities like the DNC.
This led to the creation of Organizing for Action (OFA).

question_answer

ANECDOTE

OFA and Bill Nelson

OFA organizers protested Democrat Bill Nelson for insufficient Obamacare support.
This decentralized organizing highlighted tensions, raising questions about pressuring senators.

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Prioritize Political Power

Democrats should prioritize strengthening their coalition and accumulating political power.
Failing to pass the Employee Free Choice Act demonstrates this strategic weakness.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Election Dynamics and Incumbency

01:32 • 4min

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Navigating Political Dynamics and Voter Behavior

05:31 • 26min

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Tax Cuts and Sensory Inclusion

31:27 • 9min

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Navigating Challenges in Democratic Mobilization

40:09 • 25min

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Navigating Political Vulnerabilities

01:04:41 • 15min

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Examining Joe Biden's Presidential Viability and Support Dynamics

01:19:53 • 6min

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Contrasting Leadership: Obama vs. Biden

01:25:33 • 10min

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Literary Influences on Political Understanding

01:35:34 • 3min

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#3922

• Mentioned in 12 episodes

Nixonland

The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America

Rick Perlstein

Rick Perlstein’s book recaptures America’s turbulent 1960s and early 1970s, revealing how Richard Nixon rose from political obscurity to seize and hold the presidency. The book begins with the 1965 Watts riots and spans through the political upheavals up to Nixon’s reelection in 1972. Perlstein’s narrative highlights how Nixon manipulated social and political events to shape the current political landscape, creating a deep rift in American society that persists to this day. The book is filled with prodigious research and vivid detail, making it a grand historical epic that sheds new light on modern American politics.

#6031

• Mentioned in 8 episodes

No Ordinary Time

Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, The Home Front in World War II

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Edward Herrmann

This book masterfully weaves together the story lines of Eleanor and Franklin’s marriage, Eleanor’s life as First Lady, and FDR’s White House, highlighting their impact on America and the world during World War II. It provides an intimate portrait of the Roosevelts and the era in which a new, modern America was born. The book also explores their remarkable partnership, FDR’s political tactics, and the significant social and political changes they championed, including New Deal programs and steps toward racial equality.

Un-Trumping America

Daniel Pfeiffer

In *Un-Trumping America*, Dan Pfeiffer offers a critical analysis of the Trump era and provides strategies for Democrats to defeat Trumpism and reform democracy. The book argues that Trump is not an aberration but a logical extension of the modern Republican Party, and it outlines bold solutions to make America more democratic, including reforms like abolishing the electoral college and eliminating the filibuster.

#13188

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

The Known World

Antonio Fernandez Lera

Edward P Jones

The Known World is a novel by Edward P. Jones that delves into the intricate lives of freed and enslaved blacks, whites, and Indians in Manchester County, Virginia, during the antebellum period. The story centers around Henry Townsend, a black farmer and former slave who becomes a plantation owner under the mentorship of William Robbins. After Henry's death, his plantation and the broader community face significant upheaval, including slave rebellions and the exploitation of free black people by corrupt patrollers. The novel provides a deep and nuanced exploration of the multidimensional world created by the institution of slavery.

#37

• Mentioned in 281 episodes

How to Change

The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

Katy Milkman

In this ground-breaking book, Katy Milkman reveals a proven path to help readers move from where they are to where they want to be. Drawing on her original research and the work of her world-renowned scientific collaborators, Milkman shares strategic methods for identifying and overcoming common barriers to change, such as impulsivity, procrastination, and forgetfulness. The book offers innovative approaches like 'temptation bundling,' using timely reminders, and creating 'set-it-and-forget-it systems' to make change more achievable. It emphasizes the importance of tailoring solutions to specific roadblocks and using science to stack the deck in favor of successful change.

Before becoming the co-host of Pod Save America, Dan Pfeiffer spent most of his adult life in Democratic Party politics, which included serving as White House communications director for President Barack Obama. But in his new book Un-Trumping America, the former operative levels some sharp criticism toward the party he came of political age in.

Contrary to the rhetoric of the leading Democratic presidential candidate, Pfeiffer doesn’t think of Donald Trump as the source of our current social and political ills, and he doesn’t believe that beating Trump will bring about a return to “normalcy.” For Pfeiffer, Trump is a symptom of much deeper forces in our politics — forces that will continue to proliferate unless Democrats get serious about, among other things, genuine structural reform. Among the things we discuss:

- Pfeiffer’s view that Donald Trump is the favorite in 2020

- Why the core divide in the Democratic Party isn’t progressive vs. moderate

- The flaws in both Sanders and Biden’s theories of institutional change

- The way Obama looms over the Democratic primary — perhaps even more than Trump does

- The case for, and against, filibuster reform

- Pfeiffer’s biggest regret from inside the Obama administration

- What working with Joe Biden is like

- Why the Obama White House didn’t rally around Biden in 2016

- The damage the political consultant class does to Democrats

- What the left got wrong about the Democratic Party

- Why Democrats need to prioritize democracy itself

References:

Ezra's profile of Joe Biden

Book recommendations:

Nixonland by Rick Perlstein

The Known World by Edward P. Jones

No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin

New to the show? Want to check out Ezra's favorite episodes? Check out the Ezra Klein Show beginner's guide (http://bit.ly/EKSbeginhere)

The “Why We’re Polarized” tour continues, with events in Austin, Nashville, Chicago, and Greenville. Go to WhyWerePolarized.com for the full schedule!

Want to contact the show? Reach out at ezrakleinshow@vox.com

Credits:

Engineer - Cynthia Gil

Producer/Editor - Jeff Geld

Researcher - Roge Karma

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