Democrats’ dilemma: Go viral or fall behind
WASHINGTON — There are fierce rivalries, long-tangled histories, deeply personal grudges — and in the end, only one winner can hold the rose.
No, this isn’t “The Bachelor.” But the Democratic presidential candidates are taking part in the latest installment of a storied tradition of American politics: They are aiming to outwit, outplay and outlast a field of rivals in a campaign so far defined partly by its theatrics and big moments.
From the heavily rehearsed jabs, gimmicks and one-liners at the June debates to the elaborately staged “live drawing” for the July debate lineups that aired Thursday night on CNN, it’s starting to look like Democrats have been drawn into the reality TV genre that President Donald Trump, who first entered most homes as a character on “The Apprentice,” started spreading in American politics.
The Democratic National Committee has all but encouraged candidates to strive for performative breakout moments as a way to attract more donors, which are needed to qualify for the party’s televised debates.
“It has become more and more like a game show,” said Brett O’Donnell, a Republican strategist who coached John McCain and Mitt Romney, both presidential nominees, in their debates.
The paradox: In a contest for the hearts, minds and wallets of a Democratic electorate that loathes Trump, candidates aiming to replace him are forced to choose between adopting his modern media tactics or being left behind.
“I’m not going to have this huge viral moment,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota lamented last weekend in the backroom of a dusty union hall in Waterloo, Iowa — where the wall behind her was emblazoned with the phrase, “We celebrate the past.” “I hope I do, but I’m not going to do something crazy just to have it.”
On Thursday, the campaign reality show added a new twist: a game show episode.
CNN, which is set to air the second set of debates later this month, devoted an hour of prime time to a special called “The Draw.” It took 40 minutes to draw 20 names out of three different boxes and divide them into two debating groups.
It was manufactured excitement that came with its own preand postgame shows. The drama was slightly less attractive for the candidates, whose fates may depend on which stage they were placed.
“I’ll be watching some paint dry here at the state Capitol,” Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington said in a Thursday afternoon phone call from Olympia. “I find that more intriguing.”
If there was any doubt about the value of viral moments in the 2020 campaign, the first set of debates in June eliminated them. Sen. Kamala Harris of California and former Housing Secretary Julián Castro turbocharged their lackluster fundraising efforts by launching rhetorical torpedoes at unsuspecting targets.
Harris raised nearly $4 million in the week after she clocked former Vice President Joe Biden for his past opposition to busing and his warm remarks about segregationist senators. Castro in the six months before the debate had attracted 70,000 donors. In the four weeks since he won a verbal sparring match over immigration against former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, he’s had 60,000 more — enough to qualify for the September debate if he also meets the DNC’s polling threshold.
CNN’s draw produced a cliffhanger for the network to hype: A Biden-Harris rematch highlighting the second debate night, to follow a showdown between Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on night one.
The 10-candidate debates, said Seth Grossman, who produced reality series including “Hollywood Hillbillies” and “Intervention,” are like opening episodes, when contestants are scrapping to not be thrown off the island by appearing boring.
Candidates including Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Rep. Eric Swalwell of California tried interrupting their way to debate moments in June, but they were brushed aside. Swalwell ended his campaign soon afterward.
“What makes somebody good at conflict is narcissism. As soon as you have a healthy ability to empathize with another person’s point of view, you’re less likely to verbally insult that person,” Grossman said. “Audiences get off on watching narcissists go head to head.”
Karen Dunn, a Washington lawyer who helped former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton prepare for their debates, said the goal of debates has always been to create a lasting moment borne out of interpersonal conflict.
And in a primary to determine who will face Trump next year, how candidates punch and counterpunch is as relevant to voters as any position they may hold.
“One of the salient questions in this election is who is going to be able to go toe to toe with the president and not back down,” Dunn said. “Voters could be looking for a calm, steady presence, but that is not going to distinguish you in a debate.”