During CNN’s election coverage on Wednesday, CNN Senior Political Commentator and former Obama adviser David Axelrod said that the message of the results in the 2022 midterm elections “wasn’t an affirmation of policies so much” as a rebuke of extremism and that he would advise President Joe Biden against being triumphant in addressing the results.

Axelrod said, “Look, what I would advise would be to understand what the message was yesterday. I think it was a repudiation of extremism in all its forms. And I think he should note that and understand this wasn’t an affirmation of policies so much as that, and recognize that people are still struggling with inflation and other challenges and our job is to work together to try and solve them.”

He added, “Humility is good. And I think I would understand if they’re buoyant in the White House because this was a far better result than they anticipated. And so, much be — it must be an incredible relief. But I would advise against triumphalism and I would make it not about him, but about the country, and what it says about the country, and where we have to lead.”

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