CNN's Abby Phillip: Democrats' problems 'not as simple as wokeness' 

CNN's Abby Phillip suggested during an appearance at the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School of Business this week that the Democratic party's problems have more to do with their focus on the elite class than on "wokeness."

“Democrats are in that place now where they have to break out of it. And I think it is a real problem. It’s not as simple as wokeness or whatever. It’s about people who are being incentivized to think about issues in a particular way," Phillip said.

Phillip warned that Democrats could fall into "groupthink" if they don't find a way to communicate with more diverse voices.

"I have observed that elites increasingly talk only to each other and come to believe that because there is consensus among them that that consensus is shared broadly and there are not enough voices that are confident enough to disagree and to present alternatives. And we as a society need to find better ways to uplift divergent voices. Otherwise, we will be victims of groupthink," she cautioned.

Phillip's remarks come as Democrats have been searching for answers after Republicans secured a trifecta following Election Day.

For some, the party’s woes revolve around ineffective messaging on kitchen-table economic issues, like inflation, wages and the accelerating trend of wealth inequality. For others, the trouble stems from the explosive debate over the Israel-Hamas war. For still others, the problems relate to culture war battles, including that over transgender rights.

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair Ken Martin criticized the party during a Friday evening appearance on The Lead with Jake Tapper for its searing loss this election cycle, saying that voters think the party "represents the interests of the wealthy and the elite."

“For the first time, the majority of Americans believe that the Republican Party best represents the interests of the working class and the poor, and the Democratic Party represents the interests of the of the wealthy and the elite,” Martin said.

During her appearance at Harvard, Phillip said that "elitism in general" is a huge issue for the party.

"There needs to be more courage among people to speak out and to voice diverging opinion. Otherwise, you know, I think it’s a I think it’s a real issue, and it’s not just the Ivy League. I think it’s elitism in general," she said.