Less ‘West Wing,’ More TikTok: How Democrats Are Losing the Messaging Wars

Liberals have Hollywood talent in their corner. But that reflects a long-form mentality in what’s increasingly a bite-sized media landscape

"All the President's Men" and podcaster Joe Rogan. (Christopher Smith for TheWrap)
"All the President's Men" and podcaster Joe Rogan. (Christopher Smith for TheWrap)

Democrats have engaged in near-continuous hand-wringing about their 2024 loss, debating how Republicans outmaneuvered them in the messaging/information wars. Yet the post-election autopsy, which has included pondering whether the left needs its own Joe Rogan, might mask a broader concern: Do Democrats see the world through a long-form lens, informed by movies like “All the President’s Men” and TV shows like “The West Wing,” in what has increasingly become a TikTok world?

Historically, Democrats have enjoyed a creative advantage in terms of access to top filmmaking talent, since the biggest names in Hollywood are far more likely to support them.

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