Republicans did not care in 1988 that the Willie Horton ads against Michael Dukakis were racially charged and unfair. It helped get their man, George H.W. Bush elected.
Republicans did not care in the Clinton and Obama Presidencies that their obstruction would hurt the country. They wanted to use the perceived weaknesses of the Presidents to win Congressional Majorities.
Republicans did not care that Whitewater or the Monica Lewinsky affairs were not really impeachable offenses. They just wanted to tear down Bill Clinton.
Republicans did not care that there was nothing to Donald Trump and Joe Arpaio pursuing the birther charges against Barack Obama. They just wanted to energize the racist fringe elements of their base to turn out for them even though it was all bull.
Donald Trump is a real embarrassment to the Presidency. In all likelihood, he and members of his family and campaign team did commit potentially treasonable acts in order to get elected. He is probably also guilty of obstruction of justice and campaign finance violations. He is definitely a fascist, racist and sexual predator.
Why is it so hard for Democrats to forge a united offensive strategy to defeat this man through continual sustainable investigations and the ballot box?
Democrats should look to the example of Republican turned independent Justin Amash who held a town hall in his district to explain what was in the Mueller Report. While not all people were convinced, some were.
That is what Democrats in swing districts need to do during the August recess. They should launch an extensive educational campaign with their constituents and show excerpts from the Mueller Report, the former F.B.I. Directors testimony from July 24, and all the Congressional Subpeonas the White House is obstructing to explain why the 2016 Popular Vote Loser deserves to be at least investigated for impeachment. They will not convince everyone but as long as they should be fine electorally if they demonstrate there is merit to their viewpoints.
Democrats should take the gift that Mueller has given them in his report and personal testimony and go on the offense. That Mueller did not look polished is unimportant. He still ably pointed the way to what Mr. Trump and his team did.
Democrats should constantly challenge Republican lawmakers in their townhalls (if they dare to have any) and all venues, asking them a series of questions that include:
1) Do you think what the President and his team did with the Russians was a good idea?
2) Why do you think the President did not obstruct justice?
3) Why will you not support bipartisan efforts to secure our election systems?
4) Why was the President afraid to appear before Robert Mueller when Bill Clinton testified to Ken Starr and George W. Bush spoke to the 9/11 Commission?
5) Why did the President not answer all of the Special Counsels written questions?
6) Was Don McGahn lying when he told Robert Mueller that Mr. Trump told him to obstruct the investigation by firing the Special Counsel?
Democrats should make Republicans have to answer these questions every day until the election.
If this were Barack Obama or Bill Clinton who had done all that the KKK endorsed candidate had done, their Vice Presidents would have become Presidents after they had been convicted in their impeachment trials and the Republicans would go after the new Presidents on trumped-up charges of being accessories.
This is for the soul of the United States and Democrats need to fight to protect and preserve it.
A potential book to read that covers some of the same themes is David Faris’s It’s Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics