Dems, we just dodged a bullet

The flames from the dumpster fire that is the Donald Trump campaign reached new heights after Wednesday’s debate — and Democrats are understandably basking in the warm glow. While celebration is premature, a Hillary Clinton White House has never been a better bet. Even Trump appears resigned to it.

But Democrats are simultaneously in danger of suffering from a hazardous lack of self-awareness. Clinton is the least popular Democratic presidential candidate since polling was invented, and she is not trusted by a majority of the American public.

Hillary has also been shockingly vulnerable throughout the general election. (Remember way back a month ago, when national polls had her in a dead heat with The Donald?) In fact, it’s fair to hypothesize that she would’ve lost to almost any top-tier GOP primary candidate not named Trump with her underwater approval rating.

Let’s face it, fellow Dems: If Clinton wins, we dodged a bullet only because the shooter pointed the gun squarely at his foot. On Nov. 8, a vote against Trump is not the same as a vote for Clinton.

It gets worse for Democrats. As a party, we have been less trusted than Republicans on the two issues consistently most important to Americans — national defense and the economy — for some time.

Of course, Republicans have a far worse approval rating overall versus Democrats at the moment; the GOP brand is in the tank. But that is not likely to hold if Clinton is victorious. Dems and Republicans had very similar approval numbers a month ago.

And as we marvel at the historic rift in the Republican Party and witness its division between mainline, small-government conservatives and xenophobic, burn-it-all-down Trumpites, let’s also not forget that the Democrats have their own Civil War simmering.

Although supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders largely seem to be supporting Clinton, and her official platform now includes some of the left wing’s more liberal proposals, Clinton is a centrist at heart who has a voting record out of line with the very large Sanders-Elizabeth Warren branch of the party.

One piece of good news is that President Obama’s approval ratings are spiking — seemingly an endorsement of Democratic principles.

So, even with a Democratic Senate and a Hillary White House, Democrats will likely face a largely suspicious, disapproving, perhaps indignant citizenry — especially with Trump and his followers seemingly intent on prosecuting the election and Hillary long after Election Day. But it’s also an opportunity. Every new President gets the chance to redefine their party and change the culture of Washington, if only for a short while. And Clinton is objectively well suited for the unusually tough task this time around. Like her or not, her reputation in Washington is that she works behind the scenes and willingly chooses progress over credit.

One thing all voters seem to agree on is that they want the parties to work together to get things done. So, regardless of what issues a President Clinton would choose to focus on during her first few months in office, if she is able to lead Democrats and Republicans to make progress, the electorate will appreciate it. She will also marginalize toxic Trump disciples.

The perfect issue to unify Democrats and partner with Republicans on is immigration reform. It wouldn’t be easy. But immigration reform is a longheld goal of liberal Democrats, and House Speaker Paul Ryan has indicated he’s open to a way forward. For Republicans, it would also perhaps rebuild the bridge to Latinos that Trump burned down.

If Clinton can lead the way on that deal and maybe smaller ones on student loans, infrastructure spending and energy investment, our party will hold together and avoid its own fall from the precipice. Maybe it’ll even improve our country in the process.