A Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair forum was repeatedly interrupted by climate activists thwarting the night’s agenda. The event, moderated by MSNBC hosts Jen Psaki, Jonathan Capehart, and Symone Sanders-Townsend, was meant to be the final opportunity for candidates to present their visions before Saturday’s election. However, it quickly became a battleground between party leaders and their own activists.
POLITICO reports that the interruptions were so frequent that Sanders-Townsend sarcastically invited any remaining protesters to stand up all at once. “If anyone else feels the need to disrupt, please stand up and do it right now,” she said. Despite the remark, the protests continued, derailing discussions and prompting candidates to express their irritation.
Jason Paul, a longshot among the eight contenders, voiced his frustration, accusing the activists of “hijack[ing] the whole evening” and turning it into “scream night at the DNC.” Paul pointed out that he had already pledged to support the Sunrise Movement’s demands, including banning corporate donations to the DNC and eliminating super PAC spending in Democratic primaries. Nevertheless, the protesters’ persistence underscored the ongoing tensions between grassroots activists and party leadership, a dynamic that has played out at various Democratic events in recent years.
Despite the disruptions, the forum largely followed a familiar pattern, with candidates reiterating shared priorities such as fighting misinformation, strengthening state parties, and improving the Democratic Party’s branding. The two frontrunners, Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party chair Ken Martin and Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler, sat beside each other on stage but avoided direct confrontation.
On the issue of fundraising from major donors, both Martin and Wikler endorsed campaign finance reform. However, Martin refrained from criticizing Wikler’s fundraising ties as he had done in previous debates. Marianne Williamson, a former Democratic presidential candidate and another candidate in the DNC race, was less diplomatic. She took direct aim at Democratic mega-donor Reid Hoffman, who has close ties to Wikler. “No, Reid Hoffman is not a good billionaire,” she stated, referencing the controversy surrounding Hoffman’s attempt to create a private voter file company that would have competed with state parties.
Both Martin and Wikler also agreed on increasing transparency in the DNC’s budget, with Martin vowing to “break up the consultant industrial complex.” Wikler echoed this sentiment, drawing laughs and applause when he added, “Let’s start with auditing every consultant contract that we’ve got.”
