New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio Bill de BlasioOVERNIGHT ENERGY: California seeks to sell only electric cars by 2035 | EPA threatens to close New York City office after Trump threats to 'anarchist' cities | House energy package sparks criticism from left and right EPA threatens to close New York City office after Trump threats to 'anarchist' cities New Year's Eve in Times Square to be largely virtual amid pandemic MORE (D), one of the two dozen Democratic presidential hopefuls, said Sunday that the Democratic primary debates should focus on "why did we lose [in 2016] and what do we do differently?"

In his view, he said on ABC's "This Week," the reason was “we stopped talking to working people, some of them stayed home, some of them voted for Trump."

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“The Democratic party did not seem like the party of labor unions, the party that would fight for the working man and woman, and so we lost the allegiance of a lot of people who’ve been with us for generations,” de Blasio added. “We can’t let that happen again."

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio tells @GStephanopoulos that President Trumps' tweets are a distraction and "Democrats can't fall into the trap, and sometimes, bluntly, George, we are too much" https://t.co/7KfQeJdOWR pic.twitter.com/kEQWQc5sqS — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) July 28, 2019

Asked by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos George Robert StephanopoulosColbert implores Pelosi to update 'weaponry' in SCOTUS fight: 'Trump has a literal heat ray' Murkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election Cruz says Senate Republicans likely have votes to confirm Trump Supreme Court nominee MORE about former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Hillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Fox News poll: Biden ahead of Trump in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Ohio MORE’s campaign, which has emphasized Biden’s ties to organized labor, de Blasio was skeptical.

“Joe Biden needs to back up that warm folksy rhetoric with a vision that will actually help working people,” de Blasio said, citing Biden’s support for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and remarks assuring wealthy donors that a Biden presidency would not upset the status quo.

Americans “want to break out of that status quo,” de Blasio added. Controversies over issues like President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE’s tweets, he said, are “very artfully … keeping attention off that central issue.”