Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville revealed this week that he has come to "detest" his famous 1992 presidential campaign slogan, "It's the economy, stupid." The phrase, which urged Bill Clinton's campaign to prioritize economic issues, now "haunts" Carville, he said on the latest episode of his "Politics War Room" podcast.
Carville expressed concern that the slogan, which suggests voters primarily care about economic well-being, may still hold true and acknowledged a fear that it is correct. He contrasted the current political environment with the 1992 election, noting that then-President George H.W. Bush was not perceived as corrupt, unlike the current allegations surrounding President Donald Trump.
"I listen to people say, ‘People don’t care about corruption. They care about the economy,’" Carville said. "As long as their incomes are up, they really don’t care what he [President Donald Trump] does. And I’m afraid that’s right."
Carville's co-host, Al Hunt, suggested that economic considerations would likely drive the majority of the American electorate in the upcoming election. Carville agreed, stating, "And it pains me. We can get over high egg prices, we can get over high gas prices and we can get over a lot of interest rates. You can’t get over systemic, endemic, persuasive corruption. That’s everything."
"This is a troubling time," Carville concluded, reflecting on the implications of his once-effective slogan in the current political climate.