Learning to Love a Big, Wide Open Field

No, not a wide open field out in nature…that would give me allergies. I’m talking about learning to love a big, wide open field of Democratic candidates for President.

So far there are 15 people in the race for the Democratic nomination, with more likely to come, and this is giving some folks tremendous agita. They’re worried about the anti-Trump vote splintering and being diluted in the general election that is still 20 months away.

I’m hoping to convince some of my friends on that side of the aisle that they don’t need to feel freaked out, at least for now…check back with me when we’re six months out…and maybe even convince everyone to learn to love the opportunity being presented.

Reason #1: Trump’s GOP nomination was the best, most natural outcome to represent today’s GOP; we just didn’t see it

I think a lot of the freak-out is based on the assumption that Trump only won the GOP nomination in 2016 because it was such a big field; no one otherwise stood out, and he had the most name recognition. But that assumption also is that he was anomalous. An outlier. (I know I certainly thought so through much of the primary season.)

In hindsight it seems much clearer that he won the nomination because from day one he was the most reflective of where the GOP has been headed for decades. And he was the most perfect embodiment of their political philosophy. The fact that he was willing to state their goals without beating around the bush was a feature to the voters, even if GOP leadership initially thought it was a bug.

People wonder why the GOP leadership has so completely kowtowed to Trump, and it’s because he is their cover for getting what they want done.

The consistent 30% or so of the electorate (and 20% or so of the actual population) that loved Trump then and still love him now are completely on board with his goals, and they are OK with him pursuing them by any means necessary (also a feature not a bug for most).

With a nice, big field the Democrats have the same opportunity to choose the person who speaks most directly and authentically to the heart of the other 70% of the electorate. And hopefully with enough passion to turn them out.

Reason #2: 2016 is not the most recent election we have had

When I talk to folks who are very very nervous already; when I see the circular fire squads and intra-left debates happening online, it’s like the midterms in 2018 never happened.

2016 is being re-litigated, and 2020 strategy is seen through the prism of the fear of replicating 2016.

But 2016 was not the most recent election. 2018 was.

And the wins in 2018 were extensive and nationwide and in places that were not even predicted or hoped for. Yes, a few high profile Dem losses felt deflating, but just because the media focused on those 2–3 long shot campaigns, doesn’t mean those were the only ones that counted. Far from it…Dems made huge gains in state offices, federal offices, and with initiatives passed too.

And again the media may be focused on the most left-leaning of those new rising stars (and even seem a bit, I don’t know, obsessed with some of them) and that freaks people out who don’t see that most progressive wing of the party as capable of winning the presidential vote in some of the states that were squeakers in 2016, but the fact is that the 2018 midterm *overall* was a clear win for the non-white cishet male candidate, but across a pretty broad spectrum of ideology.

The blue flame has been lit, and victory is reliant on stoking and tending to that flame. (And protecting the vote of those who align more with the Dems.)

Reason #3: There will be one candidate

At the end of the day, there will be one Democratic candidate. I don’t want to re-litigate what happened in 2016, and if/why the one candidate wasn’t supported quite as strongly as she might have been. I think the very fact of having such a big field AND the very different place we find ourselves after two years of a Trump presidency will make 2020 a very different environment. I don’t think one person is going to be able to be a spoiler.

Reason #4: We have time, but we have to be our own reporters

The media is already up to their usual reductive (and often biased) tricks…I mean, if I never hear the word “likable” again, it will be too soon. There are almost daily examples of how the powers-that-be at the big media outlets have a shocking lack of self-awareness or sense of accountability for how they talk about the candidates and what they choose to focus on.

So, we will have to be our own reporters. I plan to create a grid of all the issues I care about and start to fill it in candidate by candidate. I’ll share my findings if you share yours.

Bottom line: I’m excited to have so many qualified and impressive and even inspiring candidates in the race. Literally any of them will present a STARK contrast to the current President.

I’m excited for the debates and town halls and the opportunity they represent to hear where they stand, what they care most about, how they plan to do some of the stuff they care most about.

I’m not committed to any candidate yet, I’m supporting several.

I’m not tearing down any Dem candidate yet. I’m still focusing my ire on the GOP administration and the active harm it is doing to the American people and our American institutions.

When I finally do pick a candidate I will talk about why I love them, and I will not be silenced about it.

If they drop out, I’m sure I’ll find the next in line, and so on, all the way to the eventual candidate.

And in the meantime, I am not going to argue with bots and trolls. I am not going to try to convert a voter who still loves the President. I’m not going to get pulled into silly debates (although sometimes I will enjoy silly conversations).

And I’m going to prioritize protecting the vote of the currently disenfranchised and motivaitng the vote of the currently disengaged.

Who’s with me?