meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
On with Kara Swisher

Young Democrats vs. the Gerontocracy

On with Kara Swisher

New York Magazine

News Commentary, News, Society & Culture

4.22.2K Ratings

🗓️ 16 June 2025

⏱️ 64 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

“Democrats in disarray” is more than just a trope — after last year’s disastrous elections, Democrats are openly fretting about how to pull the party out of its crisis. Kara speaks to a panel of millennial leaders about how to rejuvenate it; what role the generational divide plays in policy and agenda setting; and what Democrats need to do to win back younger voters (and older ones, too). Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) was first elected to Congress in 2022. He is the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and he’s currently part of the “Fighting Oligarchy Tour” with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Amanda Litman is a co-founder of Run for Something, an organization that helps young, diverse progressives run for down-ballot races. Since its founding in 2017, Run for Something has helped elect nearly 1,500 candidates in 49 states and the District of Columbia – including more than 250 candidates in 2024, 18 of whom flipped their seats from red to blue. Litman’s new book, “When We’re in Charge: The Next Generation’s Guide to Leadership” was just published. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE) was elected to the House last year, and she is the first openly transgender elected member of Congress. She is also member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a former Delaware state senator, and a Run For Something alum. Her campaign and first few months in office (which included being banned from using the women’s bathroom in the Capitol) is the subject of a new documentary “State of Firsts,” which just played at the Tribeca Film Festival and DC/DOX. Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected] or find us on Instagram, TikTok and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Do you mind if I call you Greg and Sarah?

0:01.8

I can call you representative if you want.

0:04.4

Greg and Sarah is probably more...

0:05.7

Sarah is totally fine.

0:06.9

I worked harder for Sarah than Congress.

0:09.5

Okay, all right.

0:10.2

Okay, good pair.

0:11.2

That's an excellent point.

0:14.7

It's on. Hi, everyone from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network. This is on with Kara Swisher, and I'm

0:30.9

Kara Swisher. Amid all the issues that Washington has right now, one that hasn't seemed to die is the

0:35.7

crisis in the Democratic Party. Democrats in

0:38.6

disarray, and in fact they are. And a lot of this has focused on the generational shift that has yet to come.

0:45.3

My guests today are all Democrats and millennials who want to be part of the solution. Congressman Greg

0:50.9

Kassar represents Texas's 35th district. He was first elected to Congress in

0:55.9

2022 and has been chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus since January. This year,

1:00.9

he's been out on a fight the oligarchy tour with Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman

1:05.5

Alexandria Ocasior Cortez and speaking to constituents in Republican districts far from Texas. Congresswoman Sarah

1:13.5

McBride is the newly elected sole representative of Delaware. She was a state senator in Delaware

1:18.6

from 2020 to 2025, and she is also the first openly transgender elected official in Congress.

1:24.9

She's already faced a lot of discrimination, including from Republican colleagues,

1:29.2

who passed a bill before her arrival banning her from using the Capitol Women's Bathroom.

1:33.9

Yes, they spent time doing that. But she's a fighter. It's all in a documentary about her campaign

...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 27 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from New York Magazine, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of New York Magazine and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.