Can the Democrats Win the Working Class?

Plus: America’s falling test scores; Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover; and what a villain’s house should look like. View in browser | Update your preferences Friday, October 28, 2022 In today’s newsletter, Democrats seek a new identity, and then: • Making sense of America’s falling test scores • Beware Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover • What should a villain’s house look like? The Democrats’ Midterm Challenge In competitive races across the country, candidates are downplaying ideology in favor of kitchen-table issues. Illustration by Lauren Peters-Collaer; Source photographs from Getty Ahead of Election Day, Nicholas Lemann has been travelling to “closely contested political territories”—places such as New Hampshire and Nevada—where he’s found Democrats running cautious and narrowly focussed campaigns, trying to cobble together coalitions by emphasizing the traditional touchstones of constituent services, local economic stimulus, and bipartisanship. “What they are trying to do,” Lemann writes, “is establish a reputation for the Democratic Party, or at least for themselves, as super-practical, non-moralistic, not very partisan, and intent on improving the everyday circumstances of people’s lives.” The idea has been to cast the culture wars as one-sided, with Democrats calmly carrying on the functions of the government “while the Republicans are busy enacting a drama of cultural grievance.” Will it be enough to eke out control of the Senate? And what does this message say about both the practical and philosophical future of the Party? —Ian Crouch, newsletter editor Read the story Support The New Yorker’s award-winning journalism. Subscribe today » From the News Desk Our Columnists America’s Falling Test Scores and the Power of Parental Anxiety The “Nation’s Report Card” showed a historic drop in test scores. This matters more—and less—than many parents seem to think. By Jay Caspian Kang Our Columnists Beware Elon Musk’s Takeover of Twitter There is obviously a danger that large job cuts would undermine the site’s ability to moderate its content. By John Cassidy Letter from Biden’s Washington Putin Is Inventing a Whole New Kind of Nuclear Blackmail The prospect of Armageddon today is even scarier than during the Cuban missile crisis. By Susan B. Glasser The Political Scene Is Tim Ryan the Last of the Midwestern Union Democrats? In the race for Senate in Ohio, Ryan has countered the right-wing populist appeals of his opponent with hawkish positions on trade, immigration, and China. By Benjamin Wallace-Wells Editor’s Pick Photo Booth The Photographer Who Immortalized a Pan-African Pageant At FESTAC ’77, a fifty-nine-country festival in Lagos, Marilyn Nance created “a giant family album” for Africa and its diaspora. By Julian Lucas Culture Dept. Cultural Comment A History of the Modernist Villain’s Lair “Don’t Worry Darling” is the latest in a long line of films that use modern architecture as a backdrop for evil. By Alex Ross The Front Row “Black Adam,” Reviewed: Dwayne Johnson Emerges from a Tomb and Finds Nothing The setup for a new franchise strips the substance and the fun from a mighty character. By Richard Brody The Current Cinema The Curious Gravity of “Armageddon Time” James Gray’s film, drawing on his boyhood in nineteen-eighties Queens, avoids the nostalgia that bedevils many directors’ autobiographical efforts. By Anthony Lane Cultural Comment In “Triangle of Sadness,” the Crudity Is the Point Ruben Östlund’s latest film isn’t just about puke—it’s also about shit. By Naomi Fry Fun & Games Dept. Name Drop Play Today’s Quiz Can you guess the notable person in six clues or fewer? By Will Nediger Daily Shouts The Illuminati: “We’re Ending Our Partnership with Kanye West” West’s anti-Semitic remarks are unacceptable, and go against the values of our global shadow regime. By Skyler Higley Crossword A Themed Puzzle: Bird’s the Word They’re raised in downward dog: four letters. By Matthew Stock Daily Cartoon Friday, October 28th By Paul Noth P.S. If you insist on dressing your dogs up for Halloween this year, at least have the decency not to make them wear one of these costumes that are specifically designed to terrify them. Let them be a cute butterfly or something instead. Today’s newsletter was written by Ian Crouch. Thanks for reading. Let us know your thoughts about today’s edition. Plus, browse more newsletters and invite a friend to sign up for The Daily. You’re receiving this e-mail because you signed up for The Daily from The New Yorker. Manage your preferences | View our Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2022. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.