I cannot prove this to any of my readers but please, take my word for it, I predicted Donald J Trump would be the Republican nominee in June of 2015. My proof point is the wager I made with a Republican friend of mine, he gave me odds 5 -1. I am set to win $150.
Here is why I immediately knew Trump would be the nominee. In his announcement speech Mr. Trump called the fastest growing demographic in America: rapists, murders, drug dealer and of “some are good people”. His poll numbers within the GOP went up. He called for a wall to be built on the southern border, he become more popular in the GOP.
Anyone who follows politics (I am a total junkie) even casually knows about the GOP autopsy and knows that demographics are moving toward more diversity, not less. The web is filled with all the stats on this, you can find the percentages of Latinos a Republican would need to win or the share of the Angry White Man vote Romney won vs Reagan, it all leads to one conclusion, Republicans need a more diverse base.
So when Trump essentially slit the neck of the GOP and the base rewarded him for it — the race was already won, all we needed to do was wait for the votes to be counted. I said then as I say now, there is absolutely nothing he can say that will turn off his base, nothing. That is important. No apostasy, no insult, no slur...nothing will move his voters. He can insult them to their face, tell them it’s all a big goof, he is a Democrat and plans to nominate Obama to the Supreme Court and they will still support him, so long as he says it with force. His campaign is about force not ideas. So when Trump pivots WILDLY to the left in the GE, and he will, then what?
How do you fight someone willing to say anything and is never held to account? It’s the million dollar question, luckily I have the answer.
You beat Trump with this theme: Love. Hillary has hinted to this ever so slightly and boy does it work. It is a striking contrast to Trump’s “hate”. Love beats hate. Love is stronger than hate. She should tie love into issues like Social Security, Medicare and Immigration. Jeb cited love when discussing immigration, remind everyone that he was right about that. Our country does need more love and kindness and caring, those principles underscore so much of the Obama presidency. Recognizing this will not make her week on defense. She can easily pivot to being strong. In fact you can say that because Americans love our children, our parents, our friends, our country we are obligated to be very diligent on defense. You can fight racism and inequality with love — it worked for MLK and Ghandi. Love conquers all.
OK, so how do you get everyone excited about a “love” campaign? You don’t! We don’t want to be yelling and screaming. Democrats are going to be the adults in the room, the responsible yet unstoppable calm force moving the country toward a new era.
You beat Trump with this presentation: Serious ideas presented in even tones. I used to be a classroom teacher and one of the best strategies for getting control of a loud classroom is the talk softly, so softly that the students need to quiet down to listen to you. You tell them I am going to tell you something very important...then lower your voice, sotto voice. Why? If you try to come over the top of a loud classroom or a loud student you have given volume control to the rambunctious student. Don’t do that Hillary. Say important things, tell us you are going to say important things, then say it softly, seriously, calmly. Look America in the eye and tell them what you are going to do and why it needs to be done. Americans will be drawn toward your calm, soft yet serious and confident voice. Lean into your power as a woman. Mothers are powerful. Grandmothers are powerful. Wives are powerful. Ambitious women are powerful. Your gender is a massive strength...it’s “huge”, lean into your gender and America will follow. We all want a female to be President, make us feel confident you are going to the job and you can win in a landslide.
And when Trump calls her names: Recognize the Ad Hominum and repeat it back to the world in calm tones. If Trump calls you a “barking dog” or something to that effect. Read his quote, calmly and without emotion, almost like a school teacher scolding a bad boy in class. Explain to everyone why his language is inappropriate and redirect the nation toward a more positive message. Explain why is language is hurtful (not to you of course because you are the adult and he is the child and children cannot be held accountable for their language) but to others who the language could also apply to. Let everyone know he can call you a “barking dog” it is hurtful to other women because...and then use his attacks to launch a more positive discussion about equal pay for equal work or paid family leave or whatever. Hillary must take his language seriously and address it. Again, repeat what he has said, word for word (perhaps put glasses on when you read it directly off a note card then take the glasses off to address it). Punish him for using bad language then explain very calmly why what he is doing wrong.
Final push: Appeal to Republicans. Remind them of your patriotism and that you value all Americans. Repeat the themes of 08 in a different manner. Americans want to be brought together. You have the opportunity to do it Hillary but leaning into love is the only way.
IMHO
