# James Carville says Democrats broke his ‘first commandment of politics' with anti-Trump antics

Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville lamented that his party is not "meeting the moment" with their various antics aimed at President Trump.

In an interview with , Carville knocked Democrats' "counter-productive" display at Trump's address to Congress last week, mocking their "auction paddles" and Texas Rep. Al Green "beating a stick on the floor."

"My first commandment of politics is, 'Thine shall not make an ass of thyself.' And they didn't follow the Carville first commandment," Carville chuckled.





Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville said Democrats violated his "first commandment" of "Thine shall not make an ass of thyself" at President Trump's address to Congress. (Screenshot/HBO)

The famed Clinton operative questioned the Democrats' optics during Trump's speech, saying Americans who tuned in were likely not impressed with their behavior, but felt the opposite regarding Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who gave the Democratic response. Carville praised her as "measured, reasonable, articulate" by comparison.

He doubled down on his advice to Democrats  calling for a "strategic political retreat" as Trump's tariff war with other countries fuels economic uncertainty, which has taken a steep toll on the stock market.

_""_ I mean, it's an old military doctrine- when your opponent is destroying themselves, do not interfere. Don't get in the way of it right now," Carville said.





Carville slammed Democrats, including Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, for not "meeting the moment" during the second Trump presidency. (Win McNamee/Pool Photo via AP)

Democrats have been plagued with viral blunders in recent weeks between the  ahead of Trump's speech to the widely-mocked "choose your fighter" video featuring Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jasmine Crockett.

"When asked the question of who was currently leading the Democratic Party, Carville quickly answered, 'There is none,'" Carville said. "When people say the image of the Democratic Party has never been lower, A. they're pretty much correct. But the reason is Democrats don't like their own party now. Why is that? Because a political party exists to win elections, and when it doesn't win elections, the people in the party don't like it."





Conservatives widely mocked several House Democrats after a viral "Choose your fighter" TikTok video. (Getty)

Last week, Minnesota governor and ex-Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz went viral when he struggled to answer the question of who was currently leading the Democratic Party, which he  "the voting public."

When asked the same question about who the current leader of the Democratic Party is, Carville quickly answered, "There is none."

"When people say the image of the Democratic Party has never been lower, A. they're pretty much correct. But the reason is Democrats don't like their own party now. Why is that? Because a political party exists to win elections, and when it doesn't win elections, the people in the party don't like it."



Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to joseph.wulfsohn@fox.com and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.
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