Rahm Emanuel Calls Socialists a Separate Party That Could Sink Democrats

Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel insists the influence of socialists within the Democratic Party is far smaller than Republicans claim. This stance comes as figures like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who identifies as a democratic socialist, appear to gain traction inside the party. Emanuel, once President Barack Obama's right-hand man and former mayor of Chicago, drew a sharp line between mainstream Democrats and the more radical Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). He told host Sean Hannity on the "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" podcast that socialists do not represent a wing but rather constitute a separate party entirely.

"They believe in defunding the police, which is not the party position," Emanuel stated. "They believe open borders and open prisons. That's not the party's position." He made it clear to his audience: "When you switch that, we can talk." His warning was directed at what he called the 'Bernie Bros,' suggesting their rise could sink Democrats by forcing moderates onto a socialist agenda.

Conservatives are already sounding alarms about far-left candidates taking over. They point to Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York as examples of politicians leaning too far left, fearing they might overwhelm the party's center. Emanuel pushed back on these fears by highlighting pragmatic wins elsewhere. He pointed to Governor Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey and Governor Abigail Spanberger in Virginia as proof that the real Democratic Party is still rooted in pragmatism.

"I think the party is in the pragmatic wing," he said. "You can see that in the governor of Virginia, you can see that in the governor of New Jersey, how they both won their primaries."

The Clinton adviser also argued that internal debate is good for any political organization. He noted that the Republican Party is losing its moderate faction, a group once led by Mitt Romney and John McCain. "I happen to think we're going to have a healthy debate in our party," Emanuel told Hannity. "We haven't had it for 20 years." He added that this dynamic will define the story of 2026. Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom is looking toward former President Bill Clinton as his model for a potential 2028 run. Telling Vanity Fair that Clinton is a "master of his craft," Newsom admitted he watches videos of the ex-president and seeks his counsel constantly.