We just talked with Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, who has emerged as one of the fiercest voices speaking out against the Trump administration and in defense of the future of the American republic. He talked to us in even starker terms than we’ve heard from him so far about the emergency we face, the very real and imminent threat the administration poses, the structural challenges facing a Democratic opposition — and what the American people can and must do about it.

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In our conversation just now, Senator Murphy made news and spoke in unusually blunt terms. Among the things he told us:

* On the gravity of the present constitutional crisis: “This is increasingly becoming the most serious moment since the Civil War.”

* His belief, which he said not all his Democratic colleagues share, that America may be “months away from the destruction of democracy such that it is irreversible.”

* After years of working with Republicans and trying to see things in gray, he now regards what the Republicans are doing as straightforward “evil,” to be stopped urgently if ever

We also had a very candid talk about why Democratic opposition has been tepid in response and unsatisfying to many who feel deeply undefended. Some highlights:

* He empathized with widespread frustration about a party that is quick to text people for $5 and then slow to respond to a grave crisis; the Democratic Party does have a problem, one he says he’s been trying to fix for years

* Too many of his colleagues don’t want to believe how bad it is, because it is a hard way to live — but he hopes their minds are changing

* The Democrats let themselves become the party of the status quo and market solutions in a time of thirst for revolutionary change

I also asked if he thought Elon Musk has broken criminal laws, whether present Democratic Party leadership should be replaced given his critiques, and whether he is, as some muse, planning a run for president.

And I asked about the role of regular people. He had a striking answer about what he believes will ultimately work against Trump.

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