Democratic Party in 2025 vs. Republican Party in 2008

A February poll showed Trump's approval rating in the mid-40 percent range. “Political honeymoon of U.S. President Donald Trump, a member of the Republic Party, is already coming to an end,” some U.S. media outlets reported. Yet Democrats are not benefiting from it at all. In fact, the situation is disastrous for them. In a CNN poll, 75% of respondents said that Democrats aren't doing enough to keep Trump in check. A Quinnipiac University survey late last month also found that 57% of respondents had an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party—the highest number since Quinnipiac began asking the question in 2008.

Former U.S. Presidents Franklin Roosevelt during World War II and Harry Truman during the Korean War enjoyed “imperial presidencies” that reflected the unique circumstances of their tenures. In the case of former U.S. President Barack Obama, his high public popularity made him a formidable opponent for the opposition party. In contrast, to understand the lack of opposition presence in the Trump era, we must turn our attention to the Democratic Party's own problems.

The Democratic Party's most talked-about problem, both in and out of Washington, D.C., is its failure to understand the needs of the people. Last year, the Democrats lost power because they failed to recognize the issues that resonated with voters—such as skyrocketing prices—and instead ran on a consistently distant agenda. The Washington Post assessed that they are still choosing the wrong battlegrounds and sending out messages that chase rainbows.

The Democrats' situation is closely tied to intra-party conflict. On March 4, during President Trump's first address to Congress in his second term, only two moments stood out for Democrats. One was a 77-year-old congressman wielding a cane and shouting at Trump, while the other was a 40-year-old female senator who delivered the official Democratic response, offering a centrist message. The New York Times described these two moments as contrasting images that symbolize the Democratic Party’s current divisions. The intra-party split between radical progressives and centrists was fully evident in the Democrats' "fightback" against Trump's speech.

While Democrats have introduced some measures, such as forming rapid response teams and launching massive voter mobilization efforts, critics argue that they need to abandon these outdated tactics. There is little urgency in seeking new faces and fresh policy agendas.

In 2008, the Republican Party was recognized for seeking a way forward, with congressmen engaging in fierce and difficult debates. The current Democratic Party, on the other hand, has been criticized for focusing solely on next November's midterm elections, which are typically unfavorable for the ruling party due to the principle of checks and balances. Meanwhile, both internal and external observers note that the next presidential election will be challenging if Democrats rely only on their midterm strategy while neglecting internal reforms and identifying voter needs. There is a growing consensus that they don’t have much time.