What America Revealed on Election Day: A Discussion with Lydia Polgreen and Tressie McMillan Cottom

In a recent episode of The New York Times Opinion, columnists Lydia Polgreen and Tressie McMillan Cottom delve into the significant revelations about America that emerged on election day. They discuss the missteps of the Democratic Party, the implications of the election results, and what actions individuals can take moving forward. Democrats Had a Theory of the Election. They Were Wrong. The two columnists assert that the left has, over the past four years, failed to truly listen to the sentiments of the American public.

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Lydia Polgreen: I’m Lydia Polgreen, a columnist for The New York Times, and I’m excited to have this conversation today.

Tressie McMillan Cottom: And I’m Tressie McMillan Cottom, also a columnist here at The New York Times, looking forward to unpacking these results with you.

Polgreen: The results from Tuesday were striking. It became abundantly clear that the nation was craving change. Donald Trump not only secured the presidency but also saw the Republican Party take control of the Senate. Remarkably, they made significant inroads even in traditionally blue states like my home state of New York, and they achieved substantial gains in New York City as well. Before we dive deep into our analysis and what these outcomes mean for the future, let’s take a moment to check in. Tressie, how are you feeling today?