How Democrats Lost the Plot

Mr. Rhodes is the author, most recently, of “All We Say,” from which this essay is adapted. He was a speechwriter for Barack Obama from 2007 to 2017.

When did you last hear a speech that made you hopeful about the future?

Here in California, speeches have not played much of a role in the campaign for governor. Instead, the primary has been a roller coaster of scandals, omnipresent ads, shout-filled debates, focus-grouped talking points, podcast appearances and the all-too-familiar pursuit of viral moments.

The net result is that it feels as if you simultaneously know a lot and nothing at all about the candidates. Steve Hilton is a British-born Fox News personality who talks up California while talking down its big government. Tom Steyer is a........

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