At the Republican convention, Donald Trump and company invoked what have traditionally been Democratic themes: quoting dubious statistics about how women earn less than men do; opposing free trade; wanting to regulate capitalism; claiming workers are oppressed; cheering gay rights; promising no more war, etc.
The Democratic convention has done the reverse, invoking what are usually Republican themes: support for the military; character; “USA” cheers; aggressive foreign policy; “faith, family, & values” rhetoric (to use a Tim Kaine phrase).
Read what William Saletan says about this at Slate, excerpted and linked after the jump.
Are the parties just trying to reach out to the disaffected members of the other side? Is this just the old tactic of playing to your base in the primaries, then going to the center in the general election? Or does it represent a shift for both parties, heralding some ideological changes on both sides?
From William Saletan, The Democrats court GOP defectors, Slate:
Trump presents an unusual threat but also an unusual opportunity. He’s invading Democratic turf by running against free trade, entitlement cuts, and military interventionism. Democrats would be foolish not to counterattack on Republican turf. They can court center-right voters who feel betrayed by Trump’s desertions of conservative principle, or who are put off by his bigotry, low character, and temperamental unfitness for office.
In Wednesday’s convention speeches, President Obama, police chiefs, and relatives of cops talked about gun control as a law-and-order issue, protecting officers who are “outgunned by weapons of war.” Speakers hammered Trump for insulting prisoners of war and lying about his donations to organizations that support veterans. A video showed Republican Sen. Marco Rubio agreeing that Trump’s jab at John McCain for being captured in Vietnam disqualified Trump from the presidency. “Donald, you’re not fit to polish John McCain’s boots,” said Hutson.
Two former Marines hit Trump with the kind of language normally heard at a Republican convention. One said Trump “praises dictators who’ve killed Americans.” Another fumed that Trump “questions the loyalty of those who served our country, without ever himself serving.” Panetta, noting Trump’s bromance with Vladimir Putin, challenged the Republican nominee’s patriotism. “Donald Trump today once again took Russia’s side,” said the former CIA boss, addressing the apparent Russian hack on the Democratic National Committee. He’s “asking one of our adversaries to engage in hacking or intelligence efforts against the United States of America.”
The three most important speakers of the night appealed directly for Republican support. Michael Bloomberg, the former GOP mayor of New York, told the crowd he disagreed with Democrats on education reform, cutting budgets, and demonizing capitalism. But he urged fellow independents to support Clinton as the only “sane, competent” candidate in the race.
Kaine opened with a “Semper Fi” to his son in the Marines. He recalled his own Jesuit schooling and his time as a missionary. He talked about “faith, family, and work.” And he spoke extensively about Republican opposition to Trump. Kaine praised his father-in-law, a former Republican governor of Virginia, for supporting civil rights and voting for Democrats. He hailed Barbara Bush for spurning Trump as a misogynist. He pointed out that Ohio Gov. John Kasich had refused to attend Trump’s convention even though it was held in his own state. “If any of you are looking for that party of Lincoln,” Kaine told disaffected Republicans, “we’ve got a home for you right here in the Democratic Party.”
From William Saletan, The Democrats court GOP defectors, Slate:
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