Republicans 'Play on People's Fears,' Obama Told a Party That Says Democracy Will Die If Trump Wins

Last night, Barack Obama spoke to the Democratic National Convention and made the case to his party that they are right and just in their cause.

The former president is still one of the best orators the Democrats have ever produced, and his charisma from the podium is still there. He had the crowd, and the Democrats watching from home, eating out of the palm of his hand. He spoke at length about his former vice president as a good and decent man, attacked Donald Trump as a man whining about things that are happening to him, and lauded Kamala Harris's background and policy proposals.

All in all, it was the kind of speech you'd expect at the DNC and it was given from the right person at the right time.

Obama also lamented how "closely divided" the country is and blamed Republicans. He called "the other side" a group of people who "plays on people's fears and cynicism" and that "They will tell you that government is inherently corrupt."

That's right. Republicans are the ones who "play on people's fears," Obama told the party campaigning on the idea that Democracy itself is dead if Trump wins in November.

Obama: "The other side knows it's easier to play on people's fears and cynicism. They will tell you that government is inherently corrupt."

Government as we know is famously not corrupt.
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— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 21, 2024

The GOP is not blameless in the divisions that run through the heart of our country. Both sides began developing cults of personality starting all the way back in 2008 when the Democrats fell in love with Obama - who in the coming years would attack his opponents as people bitterly clinging to their guns and Bibles - and followed him up with Hillary Clinton - who would call Trump voters (roughly half the country) "deplorables." Republicans responded by attaching themselves to, first, the Tea Party movement's leaders and then to Trump. The most vocal elements on both sides have entrenched themselves in backing people rather than ideas.

But fear-mongering is not unique to Republicans. Politicians since time immemorial have used fear and division to turn the public against their opponents. Democrats are convinced that democracy is under attack, and just as the Roman senator Cato ended every speech with "Furthermore, Carthage must be destroyed," Democrats remind us Trump will destroy democracy every chance they get.

And the Democrats are still struggling to escape the fear-mongering and lay out the definitive case for middle-of-the-road voters to choose Harris over Trump. They much prefer to scare people into voting against Trump.

Neither side is blameless in the use of fear and cynicism to scare voters. But Obama used division like few others have in the modern era, and he did so with a smile on his face. He is doing so again, and this time to a party that claims to have a monopoly on "JOY," when most of this rhetoric is anything but joyful.

With less than 80 days to go, the Democrats (and, admittedly, the Republicans) still need clearer messages if they want to ensure they will win the presidential race. Not to mention the very vital swing districts and states needed to control Congress.