Democrats Have the Message…Now for Some Grit
One of the commentators after the Democratic Debate last night asked the question, “Which of these ten candidates are capable of going up against the current President in a debate?”
45 follows his mentor Roger Stone’s methods: attack, attack, attack, never justify anything, never stop attacking, never ever admit you are wrong. He is a brutal, vicious bully, and his sycophants love him for it.
So, the question becomes, who has the internal strength, the grit, the verbal scalpel and jujitsu, the deep understanding of their positions’ strengths and weaknesses, to take this orange Goliath on in front of the American People, without being distracted and thrown off their game by his abusiveness? Particularly now, with so many economically vulnerable, the voters want someone who is able to stand up for them in a real fight…and prevail.
There is a piece of a Presidential Debate that is a policy debate, but there is another piece that is a gladiatorial duel, particularly as the current President practices it. For voters, this is about the primal human need, “Will the new leader protect us?” To satisfy that fear, Democrats need to be able to show they can vanquish the monster. But can they? Are they prepared to fight on that level? Do they even know how to mount a campaign on that level. The GOP clearly does, with its incendiary attack ads against AOC and Sanders.
Where are the Democrats’ answers beyond indignation? Candidates simply maintaining their emotional dignity and staying on message will not be enough. The people at this point will not respect someone who allows themselves to be abused. The Democrats need to bring the fight to 45 and keep him on his heels.
Tall order, will require a whole analysis of his psychology, his weaknesses and impulses, softening the beach by needling him and goading him before the debate, as he surely will do to them, and then practicing the OODA loop like a fighter pilot during the debate. Democrats need to start practicing these skills now. I think what I am advocating for is a whole war room and training dojo dedicated to 45’s psyche, values and fears, training whoever the candidate is in psychological cage fighting with their whole being.
In summary, Thursday night’s debate made clear that there is a fundamental consensus among the Democratic candidates on issues important to the Democratic base, particularly to progressives. The next question is, who has the steel, craft, and guile to put the GOP in its place and take the country back for the people?
