In a fiery segment on Fox News' "Saturday in America" with host Kayleigh McEnany, veteran Democratic strategist James Carville didn't mince words about his party's path forward. The Louisiana native, known for his blunt takedowns, urged Democrats to radically overhaul the Supreme Court by adding four liberal justices if they reclaim full control of Washington in 2028. "They're going to recommend that the number of Supreme Court justices go from nine to 13. That's going to happen, people," Carville declared, framing the move as essential to restoring public faith in a judiciary he says has hit "the lowest" approval ratings in history.
Carville's pitch comes amid Democrats' post-2024 soul-searching, where he lambasts the party's progressive "identity left" for inflicting "irreparable harm" through unpopular stances like mandatory gender pronouns. "This was a really, really stupid era in a wing of Democratic politics," he fumed, calling for an aggressive purge of these elements to rebuild the coalition. Expansion, he argues, isn't revenge—it's intervention. The Constitution doesn't mandate nine justices, he notes; it's just tradition. With a Democratic president, Senate, and House, a special advisory committee could greenlight the change, bypassing the filibuster (which Carville wants carved out, just as Republicans did for judicial nominees).
The proposal echoes long-simmering liberal frustrations over the Court's conservative tilt, from abortion rights to election integrity. Carville dismisses hesitation, like President Biden's past vow against "packing" the bench, as outdated. "Why does the Senate do anything other than political reasons? Of course it's for political reasons! Everything they do is political!" he shot back to McEnany's skepticism.
Critics, including McEnany, warn it could shatter institutional norms and deepen distrust. Yet Carville is bullish: "A Democrat is going to be elected in 2028. You know that. I know that." As Democrats eye a rebound, his blueprint signals a shift from defense to dominance—risky, raw, and quintessentially Carville.