Saving the party

     Fifty three years ago John F. Kennedy had a problem.  I am not talking about Lee Harvey Oswald.  Kennedy didn't know what was waiting for him at book depository.  Kennedy flew to Dallas to try and stop a revolt in the Democratic party.  Dallas was the most rebellious city.  Kennedy had been warned to stay away from Dallas.  The party faithful were furious at Kennedy.  Perhaps if John F. Kennedy had survived all of the southern conservatives would still be in the Democratic Party.  We will never know what might have been.
     Kennedy had refused to use the US military during the invasion of Cuba.  People were worried because Kennedy was having second thoughts about the Vietnam War.  Kennedy had met with leaders from the civil rights movement.  He had secretly compromised with the Russians to end the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Kennedy was turning out to be less conservative than many Democrats thought he was.
     Today the Democratic party is extremely liberal.  The Republican party has gotten so conservative that Ronald Reagan wouldn't recognize them.  Hillary Clinton tried her best to unite all segments of society.  Hillary Clinton tried to talk tough in foreign affairs, appeal to Wall Street, and reach out to Bernie Sander's liberals.  Hillary's coalition never coalesced.  The military interventionists never united with the peace activists.  The protectionists never combined with the free traders.  When she courted big business she alienated the tree hugger crowd.  When she spoke to minorities, white voters didn't pay attention.  They were to busy talking about the latest Trump headline.
     The Donald tired a much simpler strategy.  He stuck to the conservative Republican agenda almost until election day.  Then the message started to soften a bit.  A few stories started popping up.  Trump wants to keep the best parts of Obamacare.  We might not need a wall along the entire border with Mexico.  Perhaps we don't need to put Hillary in jail after all.  Ever since the election Trump has sounded reasonable and much more moderate.  He is turning out to be everything that Ted Cruz predicted.  Trump is sounding almost liberal.
     I hope this kinder, gentler Trump is not just a performance.  I do believe this country would be stronger if we were all united.  Don't be surprised if Trump doesn't appropriate Clinton's slogan.