Five weeks to go and I have the sinking feeling that Trump will be reelected. If that happens, Armageddon is upon us. Black Lives won’t matter, nor will corruption, democracy, human rights, feminism, working people, Social Security, the Post Office, health care, the environment, or basic decency. It would take so long to undo two terms of Trump that people my age will spend the rest of their lives under robber barons.
I want to be wrong. If not, the Democratic Party can kiss my keister. It has broken my spirit too many times. In 1988, Democrats proclaimed if they couldn’t beat George H. W. Bush they were in the wrong country! In 2000, Al Gore lost to H.W.’s son, a guy with the IQ of broccoli, though Kerry managed to make him look bright in 2004. Hillary Clinton tanked four years ago and lost to a man who is arguably the worst person on Planet Earth.
Biden is sinking in swing states and has about as much mojo as he has youth. He still has a path to victory, but he needs to rev into a higher gear. He cannot simply hope that undecideds will yawn and vote for him. He also needs to pay attention to the following:
1. Don’t let Trump define you. “Sleepy Joe” has given way to “Masked Man Joe” and “Appeaser Joe.” If Trump is allowed to wrap himself in law and order, God, and the flag, Biden is toast. Did Biden not get the memo that the best defense is a good offense? He could start by denouncing rioters and blaming their presence on Trump. When Trump calls Biden a socialist, call Trump a Putin “communist.” Not many people know what socialism actually is, but they think communism is bad! Mostly, though, he needs to act, not react.
2. Ignore handlers who says Americans don’t like mudslinging. Actually, they do. Remind everyone that Trump attacked your son, so you want to know about his family’s alleged misdoings, including Melania’s emails. Quiz Trump on the Bible; let everyone see his Bible is just a prop. Biden should compile a list of people and groups Trump has wronged and repeat it like a broken record. Emphasize the Republicans on said list. Ponder why Trump can’t get along with anyone and muse that maybe people don’t like to bullied or lied to.
3. Perceived strength wins more votes than being likable. The American presidency has seldom bred warm, fuzzy candidates. (Maybe Harding and Reagan, but their presidencies were ruinous.) Toughen up. Some of the best presidents have been mean SOBs: Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, Truman, JFK, LBJ…. Some real bastards have won over “nicer” opponents: McKinley over Bryan, Nixon over Humphrey, Nixon over McGovern, Trump over Hillary….
4. Use this mantra: Release your taxes! Hammer Trump like a rusty nail with “Release your taxes!” When Trump says they’re too complicated, counter that he must think the American people are stupid. Insist that only candidates with something to hide won’t release their taxes. Suggest that Trump’s either done something crooked, or that he’s broke. Repeat, “Release your taxes!” Look the other way at anti-Trump rallies where the chant “Lock him up!” resounds.
5. Scare the hell out of the electorate. Tell voters Trump will steal their retirement funds, drill for oil in their parks, make their daughters unsafe, disrespect the military, and kill their grandparents. Mention COVID early and often. In every swing state, choose a city of 200,000 and say that Trump’s inaction means that the equivalent of the population of Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Madison, Scottsdale, or half of Minneapolis has died from COVID. When Trump brags of his efforts, point out that he ignored COVID until 30,000 had died, and his absence yielded 170,000 more lives. Mention that without a change in tactics, the death toll will surpass 400,000 by year’s end.
6. Stay on message. Screw nuance and blue papers. Simplify and save the wonky stuff for roundtables, Cabinet meetings, and academic debates. You can hate or admire him, but the genius of Bernie Sanders is distillation and repetition. FDR did that as well, as did LBJ and Bill Clinton.
7. Wise up: Wall Street doesn’t give a rat’s ass about average Americans. Sucking up to big donors is a losing game. The tech industry is dominated by libertarians and Wall Street is in GOP pockets. Recent successful Democratic candidates have had the guts to say that there is little correlation between how the Stock Market is doing and how things are for wage earners.
8. What about Latinos and evangelicals? If Biden loses, pundits will ask why Democrats spent so much time courting 13% of the electorate, much it located in states Democrats had no chance of winning, but so little with the Latino 17% heavily concentrated in swing states. Nor can Biden ignore or diss the white evangelical vote. He can’t/won’t win it, but he must make a decent dent. It unsettles freethinkers, but 41% of Americans identify as evangelical.
My fear is that all Biden will do is vogue being “presidential” and “moderate.” That might not be enough, may God rest our souls.
Rob Weir
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