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Democrats should not panic. Instead, they should use all 40 days or so until the start of their convention Aug. 19 to engage with the American people about their vision and aspirations for the future of America, introduce their roster of exceptional leaders, and demonstrate that those leaders can be trusted to resolve our country’s greatest challenges and lead us through these turbulent times.
The Biden debate debacle has prompted a host of concerns about what happens if he steps aside. Those who want to keep President Joe Biden in the race have conjured up a nightmare scenario in which the convention in Chicago becomes a replay of the chaotic mess that nominated Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and served as a prelude for his ultimate defeat. Their solution — circle the wagons, support Biden, go down with the ship.
Sure, if Biden steps aside, it opens a whole slew of possible problems both practical and political. The delegates are already chosen and mostly committed to Biden. How are they to learn enough about any other candidates to make a sensible decision? They could just nominate Kamala Harris and be done with it. Doing that might make practical and political sense, but it does absolutely nothing to solve the Democrats’ biggest problem — the lack of enthusiasm, the amount of mistrust and the skepticism that have been gnawing away at the broad support the party used to enjoy across America. Harris may be the best candidate, but the public will never know that if she becomes the nominee by default. More important, Democrats will blow an opportunity to connect with all Americans, everywhere, and show that they have the caring and courage to face off against the people and the forces that have undermined the faith of so many in the future of their families and our country. They cannot wait until their convention — brokered or otherwise — to do this. They must start now.
To energize America, Democrats must deploy their secret weapon — the experience and creativity of the dozens of very effective leaders, most of whom are unknown to most Americans. Govs. Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan), Josh Shapiro (Pennsylvania), Gavin Newsom (California), Andy Beshear (Kentucky) and Wes Moore (Maryland); Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo (Rhode Island) and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (Indiana); Sens. Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota) and Cory Booker (New Jersey); and of course, Vice President Kamala Harris (California) along with many others who represent a wealth of talent and experience.
Democrats have plenty of time to put that talent on full display in a way that will engage and enthuse people across America and inform the decision that the convention delegates will be making in August.
The best way to fail at this task is to let the next 40 days be just another campaign — with candidates making speeches, holding fake debates, spending millions on ads, mostly negative, and focusing not on the needs of real, honest, hardworking Americans, but on Donald Trump. This cannot be just another campaign against Trump. Doing so will tell Americans that the Democrats have nothing new to offer. It will turn people off, turn even more people away — and doom the eventual “winner.”