I remember the first months of 2009 when hearing the phrase “President Obama” on a newscast would lift my spirits because it was such an amazing fact. Hearing the “President Trump” in the same context 8 months from now would generate the exact opposite effect. Unfortunately, that really could happen.
Campaigning to be president and actually serving require different skill sets. By her own admission, Hillary (and it will be Hillary, Google “Sanders Delegate Math” if you doubt that) is not a gifted natural campaigner like Bill Clinton or Obama. OR Trump! She has the knowledge, experience, and I believe the wisdom and grace to be a good president, but those are not campaign skills. Trump is ignoring norms and making it up as he goes, making this the Calvinball of elections.
Scott Adams, creator of “Dilbert,” has been blogging extensively about the Trump phenomenon since early last summer. Clinton and her team should definitely be reading his blog at Dilbert.com and trying to learn from his observations. He correctly predicted Trump's success very early, and explained his thinking. Adams is a trained hypnotist and a student of persuasion generally. Trump, buffoon that he seems, has managed the press masterfully, and taken down his clown car competition with “linguistic kill shots” like “low energy.” Scott's prediction of a Trump landslide seems pretty unlikely, but then nominee Trump seemed just as outlandish last summer. We need to take Trump very seriously indeed. We need to be aware of and ready for his tactics, and use them against him.
That said, if the Democratic campaign can successfully demonstrate to all that Trump is the unqualified, egotistical, dangerous bully he is, we have the opportunity to win big, with a strong Senate majority (hence the supreme court) and possibly even the House. Here are some ideas for the summer and fall campaign.
Trump wants to “make America great again.” Who doesn't? This phrase allows each person to imagine just the actions and policies they desire. Putting out actual specific ideas will cost him support from whichever side of whatever issue he addresses. We, the press, and debate moderators need to demand specifics.
Trump continuously disparages the Obama record. What is so bad about rescuing the US and world economy from a second great depression, substantially reducing unemployment and deficits, bringing the troops home from the incredible Bush blunder of Iraq? About 90% of us having health coverage? In a larger sense, our side needs to promote the Democratic vs GOP record. For the last 40 years at least, the economy has consistently done better under Democratic presidents. Look at unemployment, deficits, GNP, even stock market performance and the trends are clear. Get those charts and graphs out there on the front and editorial pages, on social media, everywhere. Compare the economies of Dem-controlled states like California, Oregon, & Minnesota to their GOP peers like Arizona, Wisconsin and Nebraska. If deregulation and tax cuts lead to rapid growth and more revenue, why did eight years of GW Bush policies lead to the worst crash since 1929 and the largest deficits ever?
Will Trump show up to be interviewed by Colbert, Terry Gross, Rachel Maddow, or other mainstream or even left-leaning journalists/talkers? He will at least be at debates. Someone needs to ask some difficult and some seemingly easy questions, and not accept broad generalizations or easy 'solutions'. There are no easy answers on Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Iran. A few good questions will show that Trump does not even understand the problems, let alone offer a real, workable solution. Ask him if he supports the GOP house in blocking funding for Zika research. Ask him if he supports the GOP hard line on abortions after 19 weeks. Then ask him what an expecting mother at 20 weeks who finds out her fetus is badly deformed from her Zika infection is supposed to do. Mention that management of public lands are a very important federal responsibility in the rural west, and ask him what directions he will give his Secretary of the Interior regarding management of the National Forests. Then point out that those forests are managed by the Department of Agriculture, not Interior. Ask him to even name the cabinet positions. Get him to demonstrate his temper! Ask him about his taxes some more, and ask him if he will be paying more after he rewrites the tax code. How are his tax ideas different from every other republican plan, all of which benefit the wealthy and result in huuge deficits?
There is evidence enough to show Trump to be a misogynist, a racist, a homophobe. It is a trick to make this case against him – he will deny it -- without further alienating the white male voters we would like to reach. It is possible, however, to publicize the strong support he has among racists, misogynists, and homophobes, groups that even his base voters don't want to be seen as part of. Lets make a Trump sticker the equivalent of a confederate flag.
Where is his wall going? In the middle of the Rio Grande? Well over on the Texas side, effectively ceding territory to Mexico? Through Big Bend National Park? How about the tens of thousands of cars, trucks, and even trains that pass through the border daily? Many “undocumented” people enter legally, but overstay their visas. Are Federal agents going to round them up? (Remember Elian Gonzalas in the arms of the SWAT team, the photo that among many other things cost Gore the election? That sort of an image makes an imprint.) Also, the Mexicans know a bit about digging tunnels, under a wall isn't that different. There's miles of coastline in California, Texas, and Florida that small boats can land on. How will the US economy fare without 11 million workers (and payers of sales and other taxes)? Are you ready to pay more for food? To let it rot for lack of pickers?
Do you know anyone who has greatly benefited from Obamacare — like my brother? Write a letter to the newspaper, post it on your media.
Sorry for the long screed, but I do believe there is a real threat and a real opportunity. We need to learn effective persuasion techniques, and use them. We have plenty of ammo, and should use it well. Please share your campaign ideas and strategies in the comments.