The Rural Power Behind Trump’s Assault on Blue Cities

Ezra Klein interviews Suzanne Mettler, a political scientist and author of "Rural Versus Urban," to discuss the growing political divide between rural and urban America. Mettler explains that this divide is a relatively recent phenomenon, emerging in the 1990s, and is not primarily driven by policy differences but by economic factors, a sense of elite overreach, and the decline of Democratic Party organization in rural areas. They explore the role of resentment, media, and the Democratic Party's strategic choices in exacerbating the divide, and discuss potential ways to bridge it through long-term organizing and addressing the economic and social needs of rural communities. Mettler emphasizes the importance of the Democratic Party investing in rural areas to regain national power and prevent further democratic deterioration.