By Walt Zlotow
Alexander Heffner in The hard truths a Democrat must tell to win in 2028 (Chicago Tribune May 29) wasted nearly 1,100 words demanding Democrats embark on an apology tour during the ’28 election. Doing so will not gain them a single vote, whether from the MAGA faithful or disillusioned progressives.
In 2016 and 2024 they faced demonic demagogue Trump, who trash talked every decent, nurturing element of Democratic governance under first Obama, then Biden, to gain the presidency. Then he used that first term presidency to begin the unraveling of the social safety net to enrich his billionaire class base. He also followed thru on his threat to not leave office by instigating a coup which nearly succeeded, albeit injuring over 150 police defending American democracy of which five died shortly thereafter.
Instead of apologising, Trump bragged about his treasonous criminality. He ratcheted up the trash talking which inexplicably resonated to an even larger vote total than his two previous campaigns.
What we patriotic Americans have learned – to our horror – is that a one off, charismatic traitor to American democracy, displaying a cruelty never before experienced in American presidential politics, has a solid base of 46% of the electorate. Combining that with an Electoral College tilted to their advantage made the two Trump triumphs possible.
Democratic election losers Clinton and Harris talked sensible substantive policy to build on the solid accomplishments of their predecessors. Neither had a thing to apologise for. Had they ran against anyone but Trump, they’d have had a decent chance of winning.
A Democratic apology tour would be counterproductive, unseemly and provoke endless Republican ridicule on the utter weakness such a tour would display.
Heffner did make one important point. Democrats need a candidate with more charisma than that of their two losing candidates. A poorly educated, short attention span electorate can reward candidate based on charisma, one dedicated to uplift rather than societal degradation… more important than ever.
With Trump gone in ’28, Democrats will be able to run on the pledge to restore the rule of law, respect for the Constitution, rebuilding the shattered social safety net, implementing tax reform on the billionaire class, resuming the desperate quest to control global warming, among other critical societal needs ignored or degraded under Trump.
And no apology necessary for running on that platform and vision.
Walt Zlotow, Glen Ellyn IL
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Anyone who sincerely thinks there would be anything even vaguely approaching a fair and open election in 2028 needs medication. They are not going to let that happen. They have power and they won’t let go.
Not quite agreeing with it.
They need to apologise for Biden and his wars and they need to apologise for the succession faults that had him put there rather than someone younger and still vigorous.
They got complacent and are having now to rebuild.