In the world of modern politics, few things capture attention quite like a spectacle in the streets—especially when that spectacle involves some of the biggest names in the Democratic Party chanting, marching, and shouting in protest of Elon Musk. Yes, you read that correctly. The world’s richest man, now leading President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in a sweeping crackdown on waste and fraud, has become public enemy number one for some of the most powerful figures on the left.
The viral moments came fast and furious. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), in a fiery display, shouted into a megaphone: “We’re gonna be in your face, we’re gonna be on your a*!”* Meanwhile, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) worked the crowd into a frenzy, warning that they had mere days to “stop the destruction” of American democracy. But the clip that truly caught fire? Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), hand in hand with Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), leading the charge with chants of “We will win!” and “We won’t rest!”
But not everyone on the left was impressed.
Enter former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH). No stranger to calling out his own party, Ryan took to X (formerly Twitter) with a reaction that summed up what many observers—on both sides of the aisle—were thinking. “I just don’t even know what to say anymore when I see this kind of stuff. Is it Saturday Night Live or real life? Does anyone really think this is the future of the country? This is the only alternative to Trump’s America? It’s just so depressing.”
I can't stop laughing at this.
Chuck Schumer and Maxine Waters holding hands and chanting "We Will Win" after losing everything just 90 days ago.
The Democrat Party is toast. pic.twitter.com/g8cRDwcjrY
— Thomas Hern (@ThomasMHern) February 4, 2025
Ryan’s frustration was echoed elsewhere, including on CNN, where even Democratic strategist Bakari Sellers couldn’t bring himself to defend the chaotic display. “I don’t want to hear Chuck Schumer saying, ‘We won’t lose’ and ‘We won’t rest.’ I’d rather have a small business owner up there talking about the impact on them. I’d rather have somebody who was displaced, who was a black woman, who’s worked hard to have her business out there chanting.”
That was enough to send Republican commentator Scott Jennings into full glee mode. As CNN host Abby Phillip played the clip of the protest, Jennings—clearly savoring the moment—grinned and quipped, “Can we play it again?” Then, in a line that quickly made its way across conservative media, he delivered the knockout punch: “Ladies and gentlemen: The American Left is so far off the rails, they’re going to have to get Google Maps to find their way back. They’re way gone right now, and it’s glorious!”
I just don’t even know what to say anymore when I see this kind of stuff. Is it Saturday Night Live or real life? Does anyone really think this is the future of the country? This is the only alternative to Trump’s America? It’s just so depressing. https://t.co/5qJihgREAt
— Tim Ryan (@TimRyan) February 5, 2025
At the heart of all this is a fundamental shift in the political landscape. The Democratic establishment, once the party of the working class, now finds itself marching in the streets against government spending cuts—an optics nightmare, to say the least. Meanwhile, Musk, once a darling of Silicon Valley progressives, has emerged as a top enforcer of Trump’s effort to root out excessive government spending.
And here’s the kicker: The protests didn’t even seem to have a clear message. Were they rallying against Musk personally? Against government accountability? Against losing an untold number of taxpayer-funded pet projects? The chants were loud, the theatrics were high, but the actual policy objections? Murky at best.