The Steady Drip: Think Tank Tells Dems to Ditch 45 'Woke' Words (Connecting the Dots: The Third Way, The Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, Kimberly Cheatle, Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Politico, The Center for American Progress & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Jean Chrétien, and Gerhard Schröder were affiliated with the Third Way movement.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Way

Think Tank Tells Dems to Ditch 45 'Woke' Words (Connecting the Dots: The Third Way, The Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, Kimberly Cheatle, Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Politico, The Center for American Progress & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Newsmax.com

By Sam Barron | Friday, 22 August 2025 03:57 PM EDT

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/woke-democrats-language/2025/08/22/id/1223584/

"Privilege." "Triggering." "Microaggression. "Patriarchy."

Those are just some of the many words Third Way, a center-left think tank, thinks Democrats need to remove from their vocabulary, according to Politico.

The terms put "a wall between us and everyday people of all races, religions, and ethnicities."

"People simply do not say [these words], yet they hear them from Democrats," Third Way wrote in the memo, shared by Politico.

Too often, Democrats "sound like the extreme, divisive, elitist, and obfuscatory, enforcers of wokeness," the memo reads.

"To please the few, we have alienated the many — especially on culture issues, where our language sounds superior, haughty and arrogant," Third Way wrote.

Other words Democrats shouldn't use, according to Third Way, are: violence (as in "environmental violence") ... dialoguing ... othering ... holding space ... body shaming ... subverting norms ... systems of oppression ... cultural appropriation ... Overton window ... existential threat to [the climate, democracy, economy] ... radical transparency ... stakeholders ... the unhoused ... food insecurity ... housing insecurity ... person who immigrated ... birthing person ... cisgender ... deadnaming ... heteronormative... LGBTQIA+ ... BIPOC ... allyship ... incarcerated people ... involuntary confinement.

"We are doing our best to get Democrats to talk like normal people and stop talking like they're leading a seminar at Antioch," says Matt Bennett, Third Way's executive vice president of public affairs said to Politico. "We think language is one of the central problems we face with normie voters, signaling that we are out of touch with how they live, think and talk."

The memo said they aren't trying to police or censor politicians, but that Democrats need to make sure their language "must invite, not repel."

"The Democratic Party brand is toxic across the country at this point with way too many people — enough that there's no way for us to win a governing majority without changing that," Lanae Erickson, Third Way's senior vice president told Politico. "Part of the problem was that we were using words that literally no normal people used — that we were sticking to messages that were so overly scripted that they basically sounded like nothing."

Erickson said Democrats should look to politicians like Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to learn how to communicate effectively.

Connecting the Dot:

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Bernard L. Schwartz was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and is a trustee at the Third Way.

Lewis B. Cullman was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and is a trustee at the Third Way.

William M. Daley was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and is a trustee at the Third Way.

Kay Hagan was a U.S. Senate senator and an honorary co-chair for the Third Way.

Thomas R. Carper was a U.S. Senate senator and is an honorary co-chair for the Third Way.

Christopher Coons is a U.S. Senate senator and an honorary co-chair for the Third Way.

Claire McCaskill was a U.S. Senate senator and is an honorary co-chair for the Third Way.

Jeanne Shaheen was a U.S. Senate senator and is an honorary co-chair for the Third Way.

Mark Udall was a U.S. Senate senator and is an honorary co-chair for the Third Way.

James E. Clyburn is an honorary co-chair for the Third Way and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Joseph Crowley is an honorary co-chair for the Third Way and was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

John D. Dingell was an honorary co-chair for the Third Way and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ron Kind is an honorary co-chair for the Third Way and was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Jared S. Polis is an honorary co-chair for the Third Way and was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Allyson Y. Schwartz is an honorary co-chair for the Third Way and was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

David A. Coulter is a trustee at the Third Way and was the vice chairman for JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Richard M. Daley is a senior adviser at JPMorgan Chase & Co., William M. Daley’s brother and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

William M. Daley was the chairman Midwest region for JPMorgan Chase & Co., the chief of staff for the Barack Obama Administration, is Richard M. Daley’s brother, a trustee at the Third Way and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Kathleen Brown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and was an attorney at O'Melveny & Myers LLP.

Alejandro N. Mayorkas was an attorney at O'Melveny & Myers LLP and the secretary for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for the Joe Biden Administration.

Thomas E. Donilon was a partner at O'Melveny & Myers LLP, the White House deputy national security adviser for the Barack Obama administration, a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), is the chairman for Blackrock and married to Catherine Russell (Jill Biden’s Chief of Staff).

Keith T. Anderson was a co-founder for BlackRock, Inc. and a chief investment officer for the Soros Fund Management.

George Soros is the founder of the Soros Fund Management and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr. is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a partner at O'Melveny & Myers LLP.

William T. Coleman Jr. was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a senior partner at O'Melveny & Myers LLP.

Zoe Baird is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was a partner at O'Melveny & Myers LLP.

Danielle C. Gray was a lawyer at O'Melveny & Myers LLP and is an associate counsel for the Barack Obama administration.

Derek Douglas was an associate at O'Melveny & Myers LLP and a special assistant for urban affairs for the Barack Obama administration.

Ronald A. Klain was a partner at O'Melveny & Myers LLP and the chief of staff to the vice president for the Barack Obama administration.

Ronald A. Klain was a partner at O'Melveny & Myers LLP, the chief of staff to the vice president for the Barack Obama Administration and is a trustee at the Third Way.

R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago and counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP and an advocate for the ONE Campaign.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee,

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Georgette F. Bennett is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee and a trustee at the Third Way.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Susan McCue was a founding president & CEO for the ONE Campaign and is a trustee at the Third Way.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Newton N. Minow is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

R. Eden Martin is counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

James S. Crown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Lester Crown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

William D. Budinger is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and a trustee at the Third Way.

Reynold Levy was an advisory board member the Aspen Institute (think tank), a trustee at the Third Way and is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.

Georgette F. Bennett is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee and a trustee at the Third Way.

International Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee and the New America Foundation.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Bernard L. Schwartz was a funder & director at the New America Foundation and is a trustee at the Third Way.

Peter B. Lewis was a trustee at the Third Way, a donor for Media Matters, a supporter for America Coming Together, a contributor for MoveOn.org and a director at the Center for American Progress.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Media Matters and the Center for American Progress.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a supporter for America Coming Together, a contributor for MoveOn.org, a supporter for the Center for American Progress and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress and the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Peter B. Lewis was a director at the Center for American Progress, a trustee at the Third Way and a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

John D. Podesta was a temporary CEO for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, is the chair & counselor for the Center for American Progress and the chairman for the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

Center for American Progress Action Fund is a fund, affiliated advocacy group for the Center for American Progress.

Apple Inc. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

AT&T Inc. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Bank of America Corp. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

BMW of North America LLC was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Citigroup Inc. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Coca-Cola Company was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Facebook was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

General Electric Company was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (Bailout Company) was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Motion Picture Association of America was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

PepsiCo, Inc. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

PG&E Corporation was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Samsung Electronics Co. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Time Warner Inc. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

T-Mobile USA, Inc. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Toyota Motor North America was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Visa Inc. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Wells Fargo & Co. was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Carol M. Browner is a director, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and was the energy czar for the Barack Obama Administration.

Tom Daschle is a director at the Center for American Progress and was the nominee for health and human services secretary for the Barack Obama Administration.

Ezekiel Emanuel is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and was the health care policy adviser for the Barack Obama Administration.

Lawrence H. Summers is a distinguished fellow at the Center for American Progress and was the National Economic Council chairman for the Barack Obama Administration.

Cassandra Q. Butts was the SVP for the Center for American Progress and the deputy White House counsel for the Barack Obama Administration.

Philip J. Crowley was the director of homeland security at the Center for American Progress and the assistant secretary of state for the Barack Obama Administration.

Derek Douglas was an associate director of economic policy at the Center for American Progress and a special assistant for urban affairs for the Barack Obama Administration.

Bradley J. Kiley was a VP for the Center for American Progress and the director of management and administration for the Barack Obama Administration.

Karen Kornbluh was a visiting scholar at the Center for American Progress and a policy director for Barack Obama.

Jeanne Lambrew was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and the deputy assistant to the president for health policy for the Barack Obama Administration.

Denis McDonough was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and the chief of staff; former deputy national security adviser for the Barack Obama Administration.

Esther M. Olavarria was the director of immigration policy at the Center for American Progress and the deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for the Barack Obama administration.

Dan Restrepo was the Americas Project director at the Center for American Progress and a special assistant to the president for the Barack Obama Administration.

Gene B. Sperling was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and the assistant to the president for economic policy for the Barack Obama Administration.

Todd Stern was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and the special envoy for climate change at the U.S. Department of State for the Barack Obama Administration.

Melody C. Barnes was the EVP for the Center for American Progress, the domestic policy council, director for the Barack Obama Administration and is Barack Obama’s golf partner.

Jose H. Villarreal is a director at the Center for American Progress and a senior adviser at the Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP.

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP was a funder for the Center for American Progress and is the lobby firm for the Boeing Company.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, Valerie B. Jarrett’s great uncle and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), John F. Kerry’s brother and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and was a managing director at Booz Allen Hamilton.

Valerie B. Jarrett is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, Vernon E. Jordan Jr’s great niece and was the senior adviser for the Barack Obama Administration.

R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago and counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

R. Eden Martin is counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP and his signature policy initiative is Obamacare.

W. James McNerney Jr. is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the chairman & president & CEO for the Boeing Company.

Barbara G. Fast was a VP at the Boeing Company and a VP for the CGI Group Inc.

CGI Group Inc. was the Obamacare contractor that developed Healthcare.gov web site.

Obamacare is Barack Obama’s signature policy initiative.

Booz Allen Hamilton is a contractor for Obamacare and was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Bernard L. Schwartz was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and is a trustee at the Third Way.

Lewis B. Cullman was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and is a trustee at the Third Way.

William M. Daley was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and is a trustee at the Third Way.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee for Economic Development.

Robert G. Liberatore was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank).

John F. Harris is a trustee at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (think tank) and the editor in chief for Politico.

Letitia James is the chair for the Committee on Economic Development and the Attorney General of New York.

Donna S. Morea was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and an EVP for the CGI Group Inc.