No, you’re wrong; its not that the Party hierarchy has misunderstood its base, but that they have actively despised the base. McCain, Bush Sr. and Jr. and to a lesser extent, Romney would say whatever they needed to in order to be accepted in the Democratic salons (Bob Dole was a fine exception to this rule - he was hated and couldn’t care less). To this day, I still have liberal friends who love Bush Sr. - why? Because he was totally ineffective, appointed the skunk David Souter to the Court, dissed the base except at election time, and in private assured them that he was not one of “those people” who were the only ones who stuck with him at election time (and only because of the nature of his opponent and the fact that he had been Reagan’s VP, no matter how later disloyal to his policies). Have you ever heard McCain, Romney or the execrable Bushes tear into a Dem the same way they go after Trump or his base? Never.
No, you’re wrong; its not that the Party hierarchy has misunderstood its base, but that they have actively despised the base.
The reason for this was simple. If you did not do this, you were destroyed by the Media. (there were a few execeptions that were ineffectual).
President Trump has shown that alternate media has developed to the point elected representatives do not have to cower in fear of the Media.
It is a revolution in power in the United States. That is why the Media is going bat-sh*t crazy.
They expect to pick the politicians that succeed, pick those they destroy with scandals, control the narratives, choose the issues of the day.
They no longer can do those things with any reliability.