“Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.” – Bette Davis as Margo Channing in “All About Eve.”
The 2020 election is 16 months off and contentiousness is inevitable. Cue the presidential campaign messages.
Incumbents’ seeking re-election are usually retrospective: Here’s what my administration, Congress, states, voters, et al., have accomplished.
Others are prospective: Here’s what we must accomplish if I am re-elected (or in the case of challengers, elected). What’s needed to make America better for all? How do we strengthen America’s role as a reliable ally in an increasingly dangerous world?
The candidates exude confidence. They are optimistic, however challenging that will be. They reach out to all Americans, not just their “base.” They know many will vote for the other guy.