In a shocking twist to the aftermath of President-elect Donald Trump's 2024 election win, a progressive strategist has vocally criticized former President Barack Obama for the shift in fortunes for the Democratic Party.

Following the recent electoral upset, Obama's administration has been blamed for leading the Democratic Party towards a philosophy of elitism, resulting in its alienation from its working-class base, as Fox News reports.

This claim forms part of a larger discourse circling the Democratic Party's self-described "existential crisis" ushered in by Trump's unexpected victory.

Underlining this crisis is the party's estrangement from populism which seemingly occurred during the Obama era in favor of hobnobbing with Silicon Valley and college-educated constituents.

An anonymous progressive strategist, part of this brewing discourse, remarked, "I don’t know exactly when Democrats lost their comfort with populism, but I don’t think it was because Trump picked it up."

Progressives Urge Reconnection with Working-Class Roots

In light of Trump’s win, prominent progressives have spotlighted the party's lack of attention towards working-class issues.

Sen. Bernie Sanders put it bluntly that the Democratic Party's working-class departure was entirely predictable, considering how the party itself had distanced from them in the first place.

Sanders added, "First, it was the White working class, and now it is Latino and Black workers as well."

A significant decline in working-class support for the Democratic Party in recent times was noted by David Axelrod, a former Obama advisor.

In the 2024 election, he illustrated, the party's primary support came from individuals earning over $100,000 per year.

Axelrod: Democrats Alienating Working Class

According to Axelrod, "You can’t win national elections that way." Highlighting the danger in viewing the electorate as entities that need to be "converted," he added, "You can’t approach people like missionaries, and say, ‘We’re here to help you become more like us.’"

Democratic strategist James Carville acknowledged this issue in a New York Times op-ed. He confessed the party's failure to connect with middle and low-income voters on economic issues, contributing to Trump's appeal to these brackets.

Democrats Challenged to Regain Economic Narrative

"We lost for one very simple reason: It was, it is and it always will be the economy, stupid... Democrats have flat-out lost the economic narrative," Carville wrote in his compelling piece.

Given these critical discussions, the central question remains: Has the Democratic Party pursued elitism at the expense of its historical working-class base? If so, what does this mean for future campaigns and its potential to attract a varied electorate?

Democrats in Existential Crisis: The Road Ahead

As of now, the Democratic Party is in the process of introspective examination, with its members openly interrogating the party's ideological direction.

Resolving this ongoing crisis bears implications not only for the Democratic Party itself but for the grander American political landscape.

The criticisms put forth by the anonymous progressive strategist present notable points of consideration.

Only time will tell if the Democratic Party can take these critiques in stride, prompting a self-evaluation that enables it to refresh its connection with its populist roots.