America is ultimately a centrist and deeply patriotic nation. The vast majority of us do not want to be represented by people who celebrated on September 11, January 6, or October 7.

I am a lifelong Democrat. I served President Clinton on the National Security Council, worked for Madeleine Albright at the State Department, and served as deputy staff director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when Joe Biden was chairman. I remain a Democrat because I believe in an America where every person and every community is respected and where we all have the greatest possible opportunities to realize our potential. It is precisely because I believe so deeply in these principles that I feel a moral obligation to unequivocally condemn the anti-American bigots operating within our party who promote hatred and division, incite hostility, foster intercommunal conflict, and denigrate our nation and its values. These include Abdul El-Sayed, Zohran Mamdani, Darializa Avila Chevalier, and many of the members and leaders of the Democratic Socialists of America, who are seeking to transform our party into a vehicle for their radical political agenda. Some Democratic leaders believe we should remain quiet because defeating Trump and regaining control of Congress are more important than our internal divisions. I completely understand this logic. Trump is running roughshod over our democracy and laying the groundwork for a potential soft coup in November. His administration's corruption, lawlessness, and attacks on our democratic institutions represent an extraordinary threat to our republic. All Americans must fight back against these abuses with everything we have. But as a Democrat and as an American, I reject the implicit claim that we must embrace anti-American bigots and dangerous radicals to defend our democracy and build our best possible future. If we become the party that stands by radicals who excuse or glorify the September 11 or October 7 terrorists, what moral authority will we have to challenge the extremism of others? If we remain quiet when political activists call for the destruction of Western democratic institutions, reject fundamental constitutional protections, or encourage hatred and violence against their fellow Americans, how can we possibly ask the American people to trust us? Just as we Democrats have rightly demanded that Republicans stand against the worst abuses of the Trump administration, we must stand against the dangerous radicals operating in our own party. Our principles must mean more to us than our immediate political interests. I believe the vast majority of Americans are decent people who love our country, respect their fellow citizens, and want us all to live together in peace. The time has come for these common-sense Americans to reject the radical extremes on both sides of the political spectrum and unite around a positive vision of our shared future. I remain a proud Democrat because I believe our party can help lead this national renewal. But if the Democratic Party stops standing for democratic values, it will no longer deserve my support or that of most other patriotic Americans. We Democrats cannot save American democracy by abandoning our principles. We must defend those principles with the same courage and conviction that we demand of our political opponents. Our country deserves that kind of leadership, and our party has an historic opportunity to provide it if we put forward a positive vision for America and do not cave to the dangerous radicals in our midst. My full essay: jamiemetzl.com/the-democrati…

Ro, I ran for Congress in Missouri and served on President Clinton’s National Security Council. Now that we’ve addressed your résumé requirement, let’s address the substance. Far too many young Americans are being pushed toward extremism by irresponsible influencers and social media algorithms that reward outrage. Leaders like you and Abdul El-Sayed should be challenging that radicalization. Instead, you’ve helped fan the flames of intolerance and division while lending credibility to figures like Hasan Piker and his anti-American rhetoric. Young people deserve leaders who help them understand a complicated world, reject anti-Westernism and antisemitism, and bring people together. Chanting “globalize the intifada” deserves scrutiny and unequivocal condemn, not political cover. I remember you as a moderate Democrat committed to practical solutions before your overnight conversion into social media progressive firebrand. I hope you’ll return to those roots. America needs common-sense, patriotic leaders who bring us together. Your and your compatriots are driving us dangerously further apart.