1. Democrats offer better candidates than Martha Coakley.
As brilliant and scheming as she was in securing the Democratic nomination, Coakley bombed in the general campaign. She did not campaign the entire of month of December (shades of former MA governor and Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis taking Sundays off during the general election in 1988), brazenly confused Curt Schilling with Roger Clemens in calling the former a fan of the NY Yankees, and showed virtually no personal warmth or charisma.
2. Incumbent Democrats offer coattails, not brooms, to fellow candidates.
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick was no help to Coakley. His record as governor is better than it's perceived, but it ain't good enough to convince independents and conservative Dems that voting "D" is the right choice again. Guess what? Politics is a team sport, and when the top statewide office holder is struggling, everyone else on that team struggles, too.
3. Democrats realize that Massachusetts is far more conservative than perceived.
While New Hampshire elected Democrat Jeanne Shaheen as Governor for three terms in the 1990s, guess which stated voted had a Republican Governor from 1990 thru 2006? Give up? Massachusetts! You can count the number of truly progressive Democrats in Massachusetts at the state level in elected roles on a couple of hands. Most elected Democrats are conservative to moderate, which is why a group of high net-worth progressive Democrats formed a working group recently to improve their chances in electoral politics.
4. Democrats realize that Obamamania is over.
For a brief, shining moment, there was a sense one year ago that the country had become post-everything. Post-racial, post-class, post-partisan, post-post. 'Fraid not. It's a vision worthy of aspiration, but in the meantime, we have to deal with the reality of the right-wing attack machine (Fox, Rush, Sean, et. al.), but more importantly the genuine fear and concern people have about their economic futures. As smart and as good as Obama is -- witness the strong endorsement he got from USA Today for his first year in office -- the fact remains that far too many people lack confidence about their economic future and are willing to find convenient targets on which to unload their concerns. In that environment, the relentless drumbeat of Fox wins.
5. Democrats understand they must listen more, and preach less.
When Democrats get into living rooms and church halls to listen, explain, and bring people together, instead of prescribing changes from the halls of the Capitol that can be misperceived as arrogant, they generally succeed. On the other hand, Republicans succeed when they unite voters based on a calculus of fear. In uncertain economic and political times, it's far easier to divide the electorate based on fear than on facts. Democrats need to be patient, persistent, and far more present (meaning, outside of DC) than they currently are.
6. Democratic state parties are better organized and less dysfunctional.
Tip O'Neill famously said all politics are local, and I'd suggest that the strength of a national political party rests significantly on the organization, financing, and human capital of its state party affiliates. Money has not been a problem in Massachusetts for politicians, but the state party's unwillingness to embrace, nurture, and develop a farm team of new politicians -- call them 21st Century Dems -- has been a huge source of their electoral problems. Voters are smart and recognize machine candidates like Coakley. Guess what. They don't like them.
7. Democrats become paranoid.
Just as Andy Grove, former CEO of Intel, suggested that only the "paranoid in high tech" survive, so too should Democrats adopt the mindset that winning is nothing and that extinction lies around the corner. If nothing else, the dominance of the right-wing extremists in the Republican Party has occurred because they have adopted a win-or-die mentality to their tactics and strategy. Despite owning most of the media, think-tanks, and party infrastructure, Republicans generally have adopted a posture that communicates the possibility of annihilation to their base. Without resorting to the strategy and tactics of fear in order to remain "in shape," Democrats need to find a way to keep voters and funders engaged from one election cycle to the next cycle. This story in the Boston Globe today captures perfectly the complacency which weakens Democrats.
8. Democrats become funny.
Yup. Gotta learn to laugh. Are there any funny, off-the-cuff national Dems out there (aside from Obama, who I think can be pretty funny)? For the most part, this party is far too serious (and maybe sanctimonious) for its own good. Democrats need to realize that white paper policy positions are interesting...to maybe 10 people. Smile, relax, have a beer. It's not just for the cameras. It's also for your own sense of self and purpose in pursuing politics as a noble profession.
And this...who is the number one Democrat in America today? It's the same person who has been that number one Dem for the last six or more years? Hint: it's not Obama. It's been Jon Stewart. He may not carry the card of the Democratic National Committee in his wallet (who knows?), but if you look at the issues he has supported and the candidates he supports, there's no ambiguity about his political allegiances. But regardless of direct political affiliation, there's been no questioning his commitment to laughter.
Politics is a people business, and if you can't find a way to make people laugh, than maybe some Democrats ought to find a different calling.
