Democrats, The Washington Post recently told us, are frustrated—even a bit anxious—that their ambitious policy agenda is failing to attract the notice of the public. People don’t even seem to know that Democrats in Congress are proposing bold programs and reforms related to the various issues voters tell pollsters they care about. Democratic leaders were said to be circulating one poll that “found in early May that voters in 12 presidential battleground states trusted Democrats no more than Trump to crack down on political corruption or limit the influence of money in politics—this, despite the fact that House leaders made a sprawling anti-corruption bill a centerpiece of their early legislative agenda.”

The article paints President Trump’s limitless, chaotic, headline-generating power as the primary cause of Democrats’ messaging woes. But there may be other reasons why voters don’t think Democrats are particularly serious about “corruption” or “limiting the influence of money in politics.”

Earlier this month, a curious op-ed appeared in the Newark Star-Ledger. The column touts how great Camden, long one of New Jersey’s poorest cities, is doing these days, thanks to “an unprecedented plan,” carried out by “a partnership between and among state, county and local governments, businesses, and the community.” It praises all of the wonderful investments made in the city by those partners, and boasts that “companies expanding and arriving in the city have already hired at least 850 Camden residents.”

The op-ed is headlined: “Booker, Menendez and N.J.’s former governors want everyone to know this one thing about Camden.” The byline belongs to Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez.

Toward the end, the column states, “Camden is in the midst of a remarkable transformation. It is systematically becoming a 21st century ‘eds and meds,’ manufacturing and innovation hub. But we are cognizant that more has to be done. We want to state clearly that allowing the progress we’ve made to stop, or worse, recede, is unacceptable.”