After nearly a decade of being forced to take Trump seriously, Democrats increasingly call BS on the whole charade

Sure, Donald Trump is a threat to democracy — a would-be dictator on day one who has called for terminating the U.S. Constitution so he can hold onto power even after losing a free and fair election. But while draped in the rhetoric of populism, Trump and his MAGA movement are not actually popular; the man himself has never won more votes than the person he ran against, a majority of Americans twice rejecting him and his off-putting cult of personality. That he was ever president is more or less because a few thousand swing voters in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania thought it would be fun.

President Joe Biden won in 2020 largely by promising to a return to normalcy and baseline competency. In 2024, Democrats are making a similar argument but more forcibly: They’re pointing, laughing and dismissing Trump and his circus as a total freak show to which we can’t return.

  • BleatingZombie@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Serious question. Why do we need “attacks” at the ready? We don’t need to stoop to their level

    Edit: I’m not trying to be a centrist with this. I just think it (somewhat) encourages more internal strife and I’m a little afraid a civil war (or maybe something less dramatic) is coming. I can tell you I’ve never had my mind changed by somebody who treated me poorly. I still respect everybody’s opinion who disagrees with me, though!

    • cybersandwich@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      It’s messaging. The GOP has been so much better than the Dems at messaging. “Build the wall” , “lock her up”, etc is all easy to understand and convey.

      I honestly couldn’t tell you what Biden’s was?

      It’s about time the Dems started hitting back with stuff like “old and strange”. Taking the high road where it matters but getting in your hits when you can is exactly what the Dems need to be doing.

    • zarkanian@sh.itjust.works
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      4 months ago

      Did you read the article? It explains this.

      By taking a buffoon seriously, you help legitimize their buffoonery. Eventually, somebody has to say “Look, this is ridiculous! The emperor wears no clothes!”

      We don’t need to stoop to their level

      It depends. When Republicans steal elections, Democrats shouldn’t stoop to stealing elections, too.

      When somebody’s slinging mud at you, though, it’s appropriate to sling mud back. You can’t just stand there and say “My, what an astonishing lack of decorum!” as the mud slides off your face and onto your shirt. That was Biden’s way, and it wasn’t working. It made him look like a wimp.