You knew this was coming. The GOP’s message for the November midterm elections is simple: Vote for us; the other guys are insane and possibly dangerous.
That Republican leadership wants to whip its base into a froth ahead of the elections is not surprising. The surprising part is that Democrats and their allies in the news and entertainment have handed the GOP so much ammunition to do it.
In fact, the Republican National Committee released an ad this week that serves as a sort of “best of” reel, highlighting the anti-Trump camp’s worst and most ludicrous behavior since he took office.
The video includes footage of Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., urging supporters to harass members of the Trump administration; it includes House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wondering aloud why there aren’t “uprisings all over the country;” it includes comedian Kathy Griffin holding a likeness of President Trump’s decapitated head, HBO host Bill Maher wishing for a recession, and so on and so forth.
This is all fair game. The Democrats have no one to blame for these unforced errors but themselves. Why Democratic leadership hasn’t done more in the last two years to tamp down their loudest members is anyone’s guess.
But let’s speak more clearly.
One thing I’ve learned from this job is: this People rarely, if ever, write you mail when they agree with your position. They write only when they’re angry.
So, too, are voters disposed towards elections. They rarely care about the voting booth when the economy and culture are humming along smoothly. But get voters angry, make them feel like they and their kind are under attack, and they’ll come out in droves.
That’s what the GOP is hoping to do here with this “Unhinged” spot. It’s what the GOP will hope to do with the inevitable “Democrats support open borders” ad (you know that one is just around the corner).
Both parties regularly rely on getting voters riled up and motivated enough to get their butts into voting booths. The thing that’s really notable here is that the anti-Trump camp keeps handing Republicans legitimate grievances and talking points. It’s not just empty finger-pointing. The anti-Trump resistance has been acting insane!
Now for the depressing part: The Democrats can just as easily clip ads featuring Trump and his minions saying and doing legitimately the stupidest, lowest sort of nonsense, meaning the midterm elections are most certainly going to be a war of tit-for-tat. The anti-Trump opposition can’t exactly run on being the adults in the room, so they’ll most likely run on the claim the other side is more extreme.
This is your choice in the 2018 midterms, America: “Extreme A” or “Extreme B.”
Not exactly the sort of message to make one’s heart swell with pride, but it will inspire people to vote. I guess that’s all that matters to these people anymore.
