Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., had a humiliating wardrobe malfunction in a recent CNN appearance that’s turning heads for all the wrong reasons.
On live television, the 85-year-old Waters perfectly illustrated the problems facing the Democratic Party’s aging leadership — this time in a losing battle with her wig.
During an interview Tuesday night, Waters spent a full 26 seconds adjusting her wig on camera, creating an awkward spectacle as CNN’s Abby Phillip asked questions about the Democrats’ strategy to defeat former President Donald Trump in November.
The incident comes at a time when the Democratic Party is grappling with concerns about the age of its top brass.
Waters, who has been in Congress for 33 years, is just one of many Dem leaders well past retirement age. Most notably, President Joe Biden, at 81, has faced increasing scrutiny over his age and mental acuity, especially following his widely criticized debate performance on June 27.
“They’ve seen President Biden. They’ve lived through his presidency. They’ve seen former President Trump. They’ve lived through his presidency,” Phillips asked Waters about voters who are skeptical about Biden’s ability to lead.
“They’ve heard these arguments about democracy, about the fate of the election, and yet Trump is not only winning, but winning increasingly by a larger margin,” she asked. “So what is the plan among Democrats to change that trajectory?”
Waters fussed with her wig, oblivious to the question — a moment that was a stark visual representation of the Democrats’ inability to connect with voters and the future of the country.
Like Waters wig, Democratic Party leaders are clinging on desperately to the top.
The timing couldn’t be worse. Trump’s lead over Biden has more than doubled in some polls following the incumbent’s disastrous debate performance, leading to calls from within the party for Biden to step aside. The president’s team has dismissed these concerns, attributing his poor showing to a “bad night” and an undisclosed cold.
Waters’ wig incident and Biden’s debate stumble are just the latest in a series of moments that have shown the Democratic Party’s elite is out of touch with the electorate.
With most top Democrats well into their 70s and 80s, excluding House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, 53, as a rare exception, the political party consistently prove they’re not interested in anything but holding onto power.
Watch —
Maxine Waters seems a little preoccupied—I’m waiting for her to finish with the wig so she can attend to her nose hairs pic.twitter.com/NRiltmZmhL
— Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) July 10, 2024