We Democrats have it wrong. We’re not strategic thinkers.
When I was a kid, my dad told me that is was bad when facing someone in a competition was to preen, brag and gloat after winning; that was un-sportsman-like. But worse was to do the same before the competition. To try to intimidate and appear stronger. That only got ones opponent mad and might even reveal strategy and strengths that would be better kept secret until needed.
As Democrats, I think we want to face Trump in the fall regardless of who the Democratic nominee is. Let the noisy minority push Trump into the Republican nomination. Let’s pick our opponent and prepare the battleground while logging every gaffe, every stupid statement, every ugly action, keeping our powder dry for the general election.
Trump is our dream opponent. The more we knock him now, the more we point out his weaknesses, his absolute unsuitability as president, the less likely he is to be nominated. We should let the noisy minority echo chamber do our work for us. We should be sitting back calmly watching and waiting to pounce. And when we do, if Trump is the nominee, we will destroy the Republican party all up and down the ballot by pinning the whole party to his stupidity.
I’ve heard two interesting theories ab out Trump.
One, that Trump, formerly a registered Democrat, is a plant by a shrewd Democratic cabal to burrow into the Republican party and destroy it from within. Not bad, but I’ve heard much better conspiracy theories. But on the off chance it’s true, we should be doing all we can to support it.
The other is that Trump is sincere in wanting to be the Republican nominee, but will not want to actually win, either because the presidency is a lot of work and he will not want to be yoked to it for even four years, or because he is just using the campaign to advance his career in television, perhaps as a talk show host, after the election. Hey, something similar worked for Palin, didn’t it?
Either way, I urge you to think strategically. Trump as Republican nominee is the best thing that could happen to the Democratic party. Do not speak harshly of him until after the Republican convention. Until then, wait and watch and record. There will be plenty of time before November to talk about Trump. But for now, think, and think strategically.