Neera Tanden is returning to the Center for American Progress. She thinks Democrats have work to do.
Neera Tanden is reprising her role at the helm of the Center for American Progress, one of the Democratic Party's most influential think tanks, as the party looks to regain its footing with voters and counter President Donald Trump.
It's a homecoming for Tanden, who was named president and chief executive of CAP Thursday, resuming roles she held before serving in then-President Joe Biden's administration.
Tanden's return comes at an inflection point for the party, which has struggled to carve a lane after the 2024 presidential elections. Since Election Day, Democrats have conceded they should have campaigned harder on economic hardship and other issues, and that the party needs to reorient its messaging as Trump works to overhaul the government.
'It's incumbent of us not to be defenders of the status quo, but to provide an alternative,' Tanden said in an interview with POLITICO. In her vision, the party should use moments like the recent House Republican push to cut Medicaid spending to demonstrate to voters the harmful real-world impact of these decisions, she said. Democrats can also use these moments to form alliances with on-the-fence congressional Republicans like Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), she added, who said he had 'concerns' about Medicaid cuts.
Tanden has worked as a domestic policy aide for the Clinton, Obama and Biden administrations. She has since been dubbed a key architect of domestic policy, including the Affordable Care Act.
That hasn't come without controversy. She was known for legendary spats with critics — including more progressive Democrats — on social media, and would colorfully insult Republicans. (She's stated 'vampires have more heart' than Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and referred to Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell as 'Voldemort.')
Tanden left CAP to serve as a top aide for the Biden administration. She was originally nominated to be Biden's director of the Office of Management and Budget, but withdrew with her confirmation sputtering in the Senate. She ultimately served in several senior roles in Biden's White House.
In that time, CAP has struggled. The center recently terminated 8 percent of its workforce, The New York Times reported. The terminations came as Democratic donors said they would withhold funds for think tanks until the groups generate a coherent strategy for the party.
Still, it's a particularly opportune time to unleash her new strategy to 'oppose and counter' because Trump's approval ratings are faltering, Tanden said.
'CAP was kind of born for moments like this, where you need both the critique and developing the alternative,' Tanden said. 'Americans are waiting on that.'
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