If you want to know just how desperate Democrats are to woo young voters, look no further than this week’s Voters of Tomorrow summit. What was meant to be a rousing youth voter event featuring party elites turned into a cringe-worthy spectacle involving a man in a panda head, profanity-laced jokes, and a crowd so lifeless that even the emcee had to beg them to “look alive.”
You can’t make this stuff up.
Despite appearances from major Democratic figures, including a brief call-in from Kamala Harris, the summit was sparsely attended. Even Fox News’ Jesse Watters couldn’t help but mock the trainwreck unfolding in real time, spotlighting the surreal scene of a costumed panda lounging on stage like a rejected mascot from a college football halftime show.
“What… is up? Let’s goooo,” the panda said, slumped on a sofa and seemingly struggling to generate even a polite chuckle. He added, “I also have had a long-term feud with former presidential candidate Marianne Williamson,” before launching into a profanity-laced rant that would’ve made an open mic night at a dive bar seem dignified.
It wasn’t just awkward—it was painful.
This is what Democratic outreach to young voters has become: a man in a panda head dropping f-bombs and whining about Marianne Williamson while a half-asleep audience blinks silently. It’s less “hope and change” and more “please clap.”
At one point, even the panda lost his cool and scolded the audience: “Come on people, look alive.” It’s probably the most honest thing said at a Democratic event in years. When your own emcee has to beg the crowd for signs of life, you might want to rethink your strategy.
But wait, there’s more.
Enter Kamala Harris, the queen of word salad herself, dialing in with all the enthusiasm of a pre-recorded robocall. In her two-minute motivational snippet, she urged the disinterested crowd to “keep building political power,” “keep building community,” and other vague platitudes that could’ve just as easily been lifted from an inspirational poster in a high school guidance counselor’s office.
“And born out of our love for our country,” Harris said, “keep fighting to build a country and a nation. That works for everyone.”
A country and a nation? How bold. Who knew we were building two separate geopolitical entities? Someone check the Constitution.
To cap it all off, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin openly admitted that the party is on life support. “There’s no doubt that we have work to do,” he confessed, before trying to spin failure into hope with, “When you hit rock bottom, there’s only one direction to go, and that’s up.”
Well, that’s one way to look at it. The other is: you’re still at rock bottom, and the panda just made it worse.
It’s no secret that Democrats are hemorrhaging support among young voters, especially young men. Donald Trump made real gains with that demographic in the last election, tapping into frustrations that the Democrats don’t seem to understand, let alone address.
Instead of offering meaningful solutions or policies that resonate with working-class young Americans, Democrats seem content to offer cosplay mascots, tone-deaf pep talks, and endless lectures on social justice jargon. It’s hard to take “building coalitions” seriously when your coalition consists of costumed clowns and lukewarm applause.
At this rate, Democrats have two options: overhaul their entire outreach playbook or double down on panda power. Given their track record, we wouldn’t be surprised if next year’s summit features a breakdancing unicorn and a hologram of Greta Thunberg.
The truth is, Gen Z isn’t looking for spectacle—they’re looking for jobs, affordable housing, security, and some sense of national identity. Pandering with plush mascots and empty slogans only widens the credibility gap.
If this summit was the party’s big push to re-energize the youth vote, it may have done the opposite. The panda didn’t bring the party to life—it reminded everyone just how cartoonish the whole operation has become.
