What Dems Can Learn from Trump's Disastrous 100 Days in Office

The beginnings of a roadmap back to power

Today marks Donald Trump’s 100th day in office. Ever since Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s efforts to pass the New Deal, the 100th day acts as a traditional measuring stick. It’s when the press and pundits render a judgment on the success or failure of a newly elected president. During Barack Obama’s first term, I tried to resist this tradition. I constantly told reporters that 100 days was a “Hallmark holiday” that didn’t mean anything to real voters. It was a fabricated press trope. On merit, I was correct. Nevertheless, the media did a series of stories assessing Obama’s presidency barely three months after being sworn in.

Trump is now getting that same report card. Every media outlet (and newsletter) will write about the successes and failures of Trump’s first 100 days. Here’s my very concise assessment:

Substantively and politically, his presidency has been a disaster. He hasn’t passed a single consequential bill. Most of his executive orders are currently entangled in litigation; his approval rating is the lowest for a modern president at the 100-day mark.

Of course, Trump has sewn chaos and caused destruction, but he also squandered his political capital on absurd, poorly executed flights of deranged fantasy.

Wells of digital ink will be spilled on Trump’s 100 days. I want to use this Hallmark holiday to talk about what Democrats can learn from how we handled Trump’s first 100 days.

1. The Hunger for Courageous, Authentic Leadership

The Democratic brand is at an all-time low. There is a seething rage at much of our party leadership, embodied by the reaction to Senator Schumer’s capitulation on the budget and the indelible (albeit somewhat unfair) image of Governor Whitmer hiding behind her folders in the Oval Office.

There is a hunger for courageous, authentic leadership. The public rewards those who speak clearly, loudly, and frequently about the dangers of Trump. This hunger explains the massive crowds coming out to see Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on their quest to “Fight the Oligarchy,” the online response to Senator Chris Murphy’s videos, and the masses who tuned in to watch Senator Cory Booker’s record filibuster last month.