Schiff Whines About Dems Failures, ‘Lack Of Coordinated Response’ To Trump

California Sen. Adam Schiff, a Democrat, voiced his disappointment with how his party has handled President Donald Trump’s recent activities, especially the lack of a “coordinated response” during Trump’s State of the Union, during a conversation with ABC’s Jonathan Karl.

“I think the lack of a coordinated response in the State of the Union was a mistake,” Schiff said, adding that it shifted attention away from “the fact that the president spoke for an hour and 40 minutes and had nothing to say about what he would do to bring down costs for American families.” He emphasized that millions of Americans tuning in were “sitting at the kitchen table hoping he would offer something to help them afford a new home or pay their rent, afford health care, or afford child care.”

Schiff also responded to criticism from fellow Democrat Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who previously described the party’s behavior as “a sad cavalcade of self-owns and unhinged petulance.”

According to Schiff, “They’re destroying the economy, and they’re making it harder and harder for Americans to afford things.” He argued that this economic strain should remain a top concern, asserting, “that’s why we lost the last election, because we weren’t laser-focused on the high cost of living and what they’re doing now is just making it so much worse.” (It should be noted, however, that recent economic reports do not fully support this assertion.)

During the interview, Karl brought up Democratic strategist James Carville’s controversial suggestion that Democrats should “play dead” as a strategic retreat in response to Trump.

Schiff opposed that line of thinking, stating his party needs “our own broad, bold agenda to improve the economic well-being of Americans.” Despite this claim, he offered no clarification on why the Biden administration hadn’t already enacted stronger economic policies to support that goal.

“We need to be advancing policies and making the arguments about what we have to offer,” Schiff said. “Not simply standing back and letting them collapse under their own corrupt weight. To me, that’s not enough.” He added that Democrats must continue to utilize “litigation” and “communication to talk to new people in new ways.”

Other progressive lawmakers echoed Schiff’s rejection of Carville’s advice. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont notably remarked, “In fact, the problem is the Democrats have been playing dead for too many years.”

Fetterman also took his frustrations to social media following Trump’s address to Congress, repeating his criticism: “A sad cavalcade of self owns and unhinged petulance. It only makes Trump look more presidential and restrained.” He warned that Democrats risk becoming “the metaphorical car alarms that nobody pays attention to—and it may not be the winning message.”

Meanwhile, despite intense backlash from both Democratic leaders and some establishment Republicans over his aggressive trade actions, President Trump’s approval ratings have continued to climb.

A poll conducted by J.L. Partners in conjunction with the Daily Mail surveyed 1,000 registered voters from March 31 to April 3, and revealed a rise in Trump’s support even after sweeping new tariffs were enacted on April 2.

The poll showed Trump’s approval climbing to 53 percent—a four-point increase from 49 percent the previous week. The Daily Mail described the results as “surprising,” especially in light of a recent stock market downturn.

Perhaps even more notable, Trump’s backing among voters aged 18 to 29 jumped by 13 points since March 7. This builds on momentum from the last presidential election, where younger voters shifted 10 points in Trump’s favor compared to their strong support for Biden in 2020.

The same survey found Trump gaining traction with registered Democrats and independents—his approval rose six points among those groups. Among black voters, his favorability surged by 17 points compared to the previous week’s findings.