On Tuesday, Morning Joe co-host Jonathan Lemire scoffed at the idea of a Republican House resolution that would condemn the Democratic Socialists of America as he mocked Republicans for using socialism as an argument against Democratic candidates, including far-left candidates that align with the DSA.
Lemire introduced the resolution topic, saying some Democratic House members want to propose their own resolution against the DSA to replace a Republican-written one.
He continued, “The Republican measure, which is slated to come to the floor this week and introduced by Congressman Jeff Crank of Colorado, condemns socialism and DSA policy positions, including abolishing prisons and allowing noncitizens to vote."
Tuesday’s Morning Joe scoffed at a House resolution that would condemn the Democratic Socialists of America.
Jontham Lemire said the GOP has “settled on this as a closing argument: Hey, socialism, or sometimes they call it communism, not the same thing, is bad and scary.” pic.twitter.com/7bEl1uU4B7— Nick (@nspin310) September 1, 2026
But, Lemire complained about language in the Crank-led resolution that mentions the SAVE America ACT: “But it also includes a call to enact the SAVE America Act, President Trump's bill that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo id to cast a ballot which has failed to pass the senate many, many times.”
He added, “The proposed Democratic amendment to Crank's resolution, which is pushed in part by Congressman Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, who has been critical of the DSA, also denounces socialism, but strips out the provision related to the SAVE Act.”
Lemire then stated, “Republicans have been making the fight against socialism a hallmark of their midterm message. While some Democrats warn DSA-backed candidates could hurt the party's chances in competitive House races.”
But Lemire then turned to mock the Republican messaging around socialism, and he scoffed at communism fears:
I mean, Republicans, we've been talking a lot, don't really have much to run on themselves, so they settled on this as a closing argument: Hey, socialism, or sometimes they call it communism, not the same thing, is bad and scary.
Just a reminder that the DSA, who, according to Lemire, are definitely not communists, recently commemorated the “centenary of Fidel Castro.”
Earlier this month, a MS NOW reporter worried that Cuban-American in Florida would not vote for DSA Senate candidate Angie Nixon because of a "incorrect conflation" of "communism and Democratic socialism.”
MS NOW Congressional reporter and host of Way Too Early Ali Vitali then responded and said the DSA resolution was a push to try create campaign ads for Republicans: “And I think this is going to be one of those votes where Republicans are trying to force Democrats to take something that's going to be politically problematic. They'll throw it in a campaign ad however these folks vote, especially frontliners, and we'll see where it lands.”
Vitali added, “I do think that it touches on a nerve that is very active right now in the Democratic Party, which is how much, how little or at all should we be talking about DSA and the ways in which they are and are not part of the Democratic Party.”
The transcript is below. Click "expand":
MS NOW’s Morning Joe
September 1, 2026
8:33:07 AM Eastern
(...)
JONATHAN LEMIRE: Meanwhile, four House Democrats have put forward a resolution publicly criticizing socialism and the Democratic Socialists of America, offering a response to a GOP effort that's looking to do the same. The Republican measure, which is slated to come to the floor this week and introduced by Congressman Jeff Crank of Colorado, condemns socialism and DSA policy positions, including abolishing prisons and allowing noncitizens to vote.
But it also includes a call to enact the SAVE America Act, President Trump's bill that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo id to cast a ballot which has failed to pass the senate many, many times.
The proposed Democratic amendment to Crank's resolution, which is pushed in part by Congressman Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, who has been critical of the DSA, also denounces socialism, but strips out the provision related to the SAVE Act.
Republicans have been making the fight against socialism a hallmark of their midterm message. While some Democrats warn DSA backed candidates could hurt the party's chances in competitive house races.
So, Ali, give us your your quick sense on this. I mean, Republicans, we've been talking a lot, don't really have much to run on themselves, so they settled on this as a closing argument: Hey, socialism, or sometimes they call it communism, not the same thing, is bad and scary.
ALI VITALI: Yeah. And I think this is going to be one of those votes where Republicans are trying to force Democrats to take something that's going to be politically problematic. They'll throw it in a campaign ad however these folks vote, especially frontliners, and we'll see where it lands.
I do think that it touches on a nerve that is very active right now in the Democratic Party, which is how much, how little or at all should we be talking about DSA and the ways in which they are and are not part of the Democratic Party. I had congresswoman Brittany Peterson of Colorado on my show this morning, for example, where we've seen DSAcandidates actually knock off incumbent Democrats, and she made the argument that the Democratic Party needs to be a big tent and that, yes, Democratic socialist candidates can work in safe, blue areas, but you need different kinds of Democrats to run and win in the districts that they will need to flip if they want to take the majority.
(...)
