After the election of Donald Trump, there was a constant chorus of disapproval among the chattering classes. But now that the dust has settled and 2024 comes to an end, it’s time for self-reflection and reflection. That’s the goal of this year’s final episode of Inside the Hive, which is also the last episode I’ll host after returning to CNN as chief media analyst earlier this year. In this episode, Hive Editor Michael Calderone and Executive Editor Claire Howorth join us to uncover what went wrong in 2024 and the lessons you can apply next year. As Howarth points out, that actually means redefining what constitutes “alternative media,” which unexpectedly helped uncover new segments of Trump’s base. It turns out. Political charisma and celebrity also cannot be underestimated, Calderone added, noting that Democrats should strive to promote leaders who can communicate effectively in a variety of formats. “The next person is going to need star power,” he says.
Of course, the Democratic Party is not the only one tasked with leading the resistance. The media will also have a greater responsibility to their audiences. As Calderone explains, “We’re normalizing Trump in the sense that we’re covering him as the president-elect and as the president.” If norms are ignored or institutions are stretched, you’re out. For example, I think his musings over the weekend about (ending) birthright citizenship are an example of the media shouting, yes, this is going to be a fundamental change to the Constitution. So we need to be clear that norms are being broken, but we shouldn’t start this administration by questioning whether Donald Trump is president. he is the president. he was elected. ”
Another challenge for the media, and by extension Democrats, will be to combat the rise in sexism that President Trump has stoked and that likely contributed to Kamala Harris’ defeat. As Howarth argues, misogyny is “reasserting itself and its superiority.” “I don’t really care who disagrees with me. I don’t think there’s any way to consider the loss of Harris without understanding that she’s a woman, a Black woman…” Let’s talk about whether it’s unreasonable to let him run for a second time.”
Next year, Inside the Hive will return with an all-new format covering Trump 2.0.
