Democrats Need Past Presidents to Negotiate a Slate

Thomas Friedman wrote a fabulous Op-Ed in the New York Times this morning called, “Dems, You Can Defeat Trump in a Landslide.” It laid out the strategy that all the Democratic candidates agree to be in the cabinet and work together as a team of rivals. It is a brilliant idea to shut Trump down by saying, “We are smarter working together.”

I want to take this idea one step further to actually get it done, sooner rather than later. I would like Presidents Obama, Clinton and Carter, the only living past Democratic presidents to convene a meeting of all the candidates, including some who have already dropped out. Lock everyone in a room and hash out who would be best for which job and present themselves as a slate right now. Not after the primaries.

Instead use this election time to work out real plans about how to fix all the things Trump has dismantled as well as the hard stuff Trump just runs away from like health care and climate change. Then the “cabinet” would campaign in unison to beat Trump.

Democrats talk about being a big tent and this would be the best way to keep everyone in the tent and not alienate one or more factions of the party. But this takes leadership and the only way I think it could happen is if the past Presidents step in to negotiate the whole thing.

If four or more candidates would agree to this plan all the rest would have to come along. It would take ego out running for President and we all know what ego has gotten us. It would also stop the Democrats fighting in debates which is not really helping anyone.

Being a good debater is not a very important skill in being a good President, except for getting elected. I would rather have the best managers running the country. Who knows Barack, Bill and Jimmy and could get them on this right away? Can someone call them? We really can’t wait any longer, especially now that Trump just punted fighting the CoronaVirus off to Pence. Talk about not qualified.