Thomas Frank: When did the Democrats stop being the party of the working class?

There are many different Democratic Parties and many different kinds of Democrats — union members, civil libertarians, social justice activists, liberals, and the legions of Bernie Sanders supporters fighting economic inequality.

It's the party where minorities and communities seeking equal rights have sought refuge, even though it was also, only decades ago, the party of Dixiecrats who resisted the end of racial segregation in the South.

But Thomas Frank sees the inclusive rhetoric of the big tent, all-embracing party as a cover for the true nature of the Democrats under Hillary Clinton.

The Republican critique of the Democrats misses the point in nearly every conceivable way. There is a problem with professionalism, but it's not that she's been around too long, it's that she is part of the ruling clique and she looks at things the way they do.- Thomas Frank

Frank views Clinton as the leader of a coterie of a highly educated, well-appointed and high-powered professional class that has all but abandoned its connection to the concerns and aspirations of the working class.

Thomas Frank is a columnist with Harper's Magazine, and he's the best-selling author of What's the Matter with Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America. His new book is Listen, Liberal: Or, What Ever Happened to the Party of the People?

Click the button above to hear Michael's conversation with Thomas Frank.