Democrats: Don’t Fail the ‘SOB Test'
Which Democratic leaders have learned the right lessons about how to compete in a post-Trump political environment?
Can you be “a son of a bitch”? That voter question to Jeb Bush, as Donald Trump was closing in on the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, is even more urgent today. Democrats know it, independents know it, and ambitious politicians know it, too.
For me and clearly for many others, the SOB test is now the primary lens for judging Democratic candidates. Every election at every level, from this year through 2028, is a referendum on an unbearable presidency. Yet most Democrats are still practicing by-the-rule-book politics, as Sen. Tammy Duckworth said recently, while “Donald Trump and Republicans are shooting referees in the face.”
There’s a ridiculous amount of chatter already about the 2028 presidential campaign, but it’s understandable. We need hope and a focus on the future. We need to know: Who is bold? Who is brave? Who aims high? Who would have the guts, savvy and persistence to run on and deliver big structural changes? Who is comfortable wielding power to do what must be done, and undo what must be undone?
Do Democrats have what it takes to compete in this new world where the old rules no longer apply? And who among the rising stars is most likely to be that SOB standard bearer?
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