it’s a circular firing problem, because the dems described here — probably not the majority of electeds, but definitely not a small group — are the ones who live and die by the latest elite media column.
I see this problem with some rank and file Dems too. It's like they conflate Trump loyalists with undecideds and think the undecideds can't be moved by reminding them how awful Trump is. Which is why many of these Dems are so obsessed with replacing Biden with a magical Johnny Unbeatable now.
1. elite media finds a herd issue
2. elected dems (usually backbenchers) read the columns about it
3. columnists know electeds are reading, write more columns
4. panic sets in
5. columnists want to keep the panic going
>>> you are here
6. electeds do something fatally stupid
