The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture.Sign up for it here. This is an edition ofThe AtlanticDaily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture.Sign up for it here. Rahm Emanuel, the former Chicago mayor and adviser to two Democratic presidents, is suddenly all over the news. This week alone, he's appeared on a number of podcasts in what seem to be early forays into an exploratory campaign for president. Emanuel went on the former Fox News host Megyn Kelly's podcast and answered"no"when asked if a man can "become a woman." On anotherpodcast, withThe Free Press's Bari Weiss, Emanuel said that Democrats lost in 2024 because Kamala Harris didn't set herself apart from Joe Biden, and noted that his party "got sidetracked" by issues that were not front of mind for voters. Emanuel was the most visible in the media this week, but he's not the only would-be candidate we're hearing from. This morning, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg went on the podcastThe Breakfast Club; he also made asurprise cameoon a Barstool Sports podcast last week to present a jokey "Lib of the Year" award to the internet personality Jersey Jerry, who was wearing a MAGA hat. In an elegantVoguespread, an old-school and somewhat stiff way to communicate one's political ambitions, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear bragged about having once been on MrBeast's show. "We've got to do the YouTube shows," he said, telling the reporter that, unlike Harris, he would have gone onThe Joe Rogan Experience.Buttigiegand RepresentativeRo Khannaof California have both appeared on the comedy podcastFlagrant, co-hosted by Andew Schulz. California Governor Gavin Newsom invited the conservative activist Charlie Kirk to be a guest on thefirst episodeof his podcast. These appearances indicate that Democrats "are finally waking up to the fact that you can't run a presidential campaign" simply "by going on CNN and MSNBC," Lis Smith, a Democratic strategist who worked on Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign, told me. And these public appearances aren't just a way for presidential hopefuls to introduce themselves to voters; they're also opportunities for donors and party elites to start eyeballing their favorites and winnowing the primary field. Most party strategists I've spoken with this year believe that Democrats need to appear on more nontraditional and ideologically diverse outlets to reach new voters and make more people—even those who don't agree with the Democrats on everything—feel welcome inside the party tent. Donald Trump's successful turns on Rogan's podcast and on shows hosted by the comedians Theo Von and Schulz contributed to his victory last November. Democratic hopefuls everywhere areswearing moreand attempting to adopt a little more swagger. In his interview with Weiss, Emanuel, who oncesent a dead fishto a political enemy,leaned backin his chair, looking unbothered; Buttigiegchopped it upwith the bros onFlagrantfor more than two hours. Notably, some female potential candidates aren't yet in the mix—where's Gretchen Whitmer these days? Lanae Erickson, a senior vice president at the center-left think tank Third Way, told me that she didn't know, but that it's clear the party'sdecline in support from men"has really lit a fire under Democratic dudes." Along with a broader shift in media strategy, we're also seeing a shift in rhetoric from at least some Democrats. "These folks are right that the Democratic Party was seen as too extreme, and that contributed to our loss," Erickson told me. She's pleased, she said, that the current zeitgeist seems to be a move "toward the middle." The Democratic course correction has begun. Part of that involves punching left. After Emanuel told Kelly that a man cannot become a woman, Kelly sighed, lamenting, "Why don't more people in your party just say that?" "Because," Emanuel joked, "I'm now going to go into a witness-protection plan." Newsom told Kirk that allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's sports is "deeply unfair," and had broader critiques of the Democratic Party's communication skills. Democrats on the campaign trail have had a difficult time addressing topics around gender. Oneanalysisconducted by a Democratic super PAC found that a Republican ad about Harris's views on transgender identity was effective forTrumpduring the 2024 campaign. (Many Democrats criticized Harris's campaign for refusing to respond to the ad, whose tagline read: "Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you.") Emanuel's answer on Kelly's show, whether or not it's a winning message with the Democratic base, speaks to a tone change on the topic. Every 2028 hopeful can expect to be asked directly about their views on the subject—and "should be ready to answer," Smith told me. Even by the standards of the previous cycle's incredibly earlycampaigning, all of this might seem rather premature to discuss. But asEmanuelhimself is famous for saying, a good crisis should never go to waste. Democratic presidential hopefuls are well aware that the party's leadership vacuum is an opportunity—and they're determined to not misuse it. Related: Democrats need more hobbies. Democrats have a man problem. Here are three new stories fromThe Atlantic: ChatGPT gave instructions for murder, self-mutilation, and devil worship. The worst-kept secret of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict The psychological secret to longevity Today's News French President Emmanuel Macron announced thatFrance will recognize Palestine as a state, which would make France the first G7 country to do so. House Democrats repeatedly attempted toforce votes on releasing files related to Jeffrey Epsteinyesterday. The House recessed without moving forward on any legislation. Columbia University announced last night that it will pay$200 million over three years to the federal governmentto settle claims that it failed to protect Jewish students; the move will restore most federal grants paused by the Trump administration. Dispatches Time-Travel Thursdays:Facial hair isback in style—but if history is any guide, that won't last forever, Marc Novicoff writes. Explore all of our newsletters here. More FromThe Atlantic Why China won't stop the fentanyl trade Tomato season is different this year. Two Democrats are bolting from a bipartisan governors' group. The obvious reason the U.S. should not vaccinate like Denmark When you don't look like anything Evening Read The Problem With Rewards Credit Cards By Ellen Cushing Fancy cards are like coupon books or miners' scrip, but they are also, in this sense, more like high-end gym memberships. The commodity they offer is access to a rarefied place, one where everyone else is attractive and competent, putting in the work and reaping the rewards. The product is a subscription to do more work—it's a tax on laziness or a deposit on your future self's conscientiousness. But it seems to me that credit-card companies, and gyms, know something consumers don't: Everybody thinks they'll be a more diligent person tomorrow. Read the full article. Culture Break Watch.In the filmEddington(out now in theaters), Ari Aster channels early-pandemic dread into adark tale of a sheriff's unraveling, David Sims writes. Read.Earlier this year, Rhian Sasseenrecommended six overlooked booksthat deserve a second life. Play our daily crossword. Rafaela Jinichcontributed to this newsletter. When you buy a book using a link in this newsletter, we receive a commission. Thank you for supportingThe Atlantic. Article originally published atThe Atlantic