Most of the Democratic presidential candidates are working to distance themselves from socialism, a label that could divide the party.
Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D), Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) and former Rep. John DelaneyJohn DelaneyThe Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says country needs to rethink what ‘policing’ means; US cases surpass 2 million with no end to pandemic in sight Minnesota AG Keith Ellison says racism is a bigger problem than police behavior; 21 states see uptick in cases amid efforts to reopen The Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan says there will be consequences from fraying US-China relations; WHO walks back claims on asymptomatic spread of virus MORE (D-Md.), who are each vying for the Democratic nomination, this weekend embraced capitalism and said they are not democratic socialists.
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In doing so, they followed in the footsteps of several other Democratic candidates, including Sen. Kamala HarrisKamala Devi HarrisRand Paul introduces bill to end no-knock warrants The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook McEnany says Juneteenth is a very ‘meaningful’ day to Trump MORE (D-Calif.) and former Rep. Beto O’RourkeBeto O’RourkeBiden will help close out Texas Democrats’ virtual convention: report O’Rourke on Texas reopening: ‘Dangerous, dumb and weak’ Parties gear up for battle over Texas state House MORE (D-Texas), who is considering a 2020 bid.
The push among many candidates to distance themselves from democratic socialism comes as Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.), a contender for the 2020 nomination, has embraced the label and Republican leaders have seized on socialism as an attack line on Democrats.
Hickenlooper, who announced his candidacy last week, said during an interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that he “absolutely” rejects the label of democratic socialist, though he added that he thinks labels “do nothing but divide us.”
“I’m happy to say I’m a capitalist but I think at a certain point the labels do nothing but divide us,” he said. “What I’m trying to build this campaign around, is to say that as a country we’ve got to stop finding every excuse to divide ourselves and begin working together.”
Warren, meanwhile, has previously embraced capitalism and said Sunday that she is not a democratic socialist.
“I am not. And the centrists have to speak to whatever they are doing. What I can speak is to is how I am doing,” Warren also said Saturday during an interview at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, according to CNN. “All I can tell you is what I believe,” she added. “And that is there is an enormous amount to be gained from markets. That markets create opportunities.” Delaney argued in a CNN op-ed that Democrats should embrace capitalism and that “socialism is not the answer.” “In its pure form, it is a bad economic model and it’s the wrong political approach,” he wrote. Harris said during a campaign stop in New Hampshire last month that she is “not a democratic socialist.” Additionally, O’Rourke last month declared that he is a “capitalist.”
“I don’t see how we’re able to meet any of the fundamental challenges that we have as a country without, in part, harnessing the power of the market,” O’Rourke told reporters in El Paso, Texas.
Spokespeople for Sens. Cory BookerCory Anthony BookerRand Paul introduces bill to end no-knock warrants Black lawmakers unveil bill to remove Confederate statues from Capitol Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-N.J.) and Kirsten GillibrandKirsten GillibrandWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Warren, Pressley introduce bill to make it a crime for police officers to deny medical care to people in custody Senate Dems press DOJ over coronavirus safety precautions in juvenile detention centers MORE (D-N.Y.), who are each seeking the nomination, also confirmed to the Associated Press last year that they don’t consider themselves democratic socialists. Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Democrats demand Republican leaders examine election challenges after Georgia voting chaos Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-Minn.) also clarified during an MSNBC interview this month that she is “not a socialist.”
The campaigns for Rep. Tulsi GabbardTulsi GabbardGabbard drops defamation lawsuit against Clinton It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process 125 lawmakers urge Trump administration to support National Guard troops amid pandemic MORE (D-Hawaii) and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) did not immediately return requests from The Hill seeking clarification on whether they consider themselves democratic socialists.
But even as the majority of the Democratic candidates have embraced capitalism, leaders in the GOP have highlighted a growing interest in democratic socialism to attack the party as a whole.
President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE said during his State of the Union address last month that he was “alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote GOP senator to try to reverse requirement that Pentagon remove Confederate names from bases No, ‘blue states’ do not bail out ‘red states’ MORE (R-Ky.) said last week that Democrats have taken “a sharp and abrupt left turn toward socialism.”
“A flawed ideology that has been rejected time and again across the world is now driving the marquee policy proposals of the new House Democrat majority,” McConnell said from the Senate floor.
Proponents of democratic socialism have argued that it’s necessary to guarantee citizens adequate health care, housing and education as well as to expand the rights of workers.
Sanders said last month during an interview with MSNBC that his support of democratic socialism means he views “economic rights as human rights.”
“I happen to believe that in the year 2019, with all of the wealth around us, we can create an economy which guarantees health care to all people as a human right,” he said. “Which guarantees education, from child care to higher education, as a human right. Which guarantees the right of people to have decent and affordable housing.”
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